Page 38 of The Closed Off Captain

He nods, and I start towards the door with my bags. “Thank you.” I turn back to him. “For taking care of him. I know how surly he gets with an injury; I’m sure he was a bear.”

I shrug. “He wasn’t bad.”

He stares at me. “Huh.”

“All right. Well, it was nice to meet you, Greyson.”

He waves me off. “I’ll be here when you get back.”

“Okay.” I walk out the door and nearly run into Trent.

“I was just about to knock.”

“You can go on in. I think he’s still sleeping, though.” He walks past me, and I head to my car. The clock is ticking.

Chapter 19

Chloe

Two hours later on the dot, I pull up in front of Gunner’s house. I take a breath to steady my nerves and then open my door and step out. I give myself a once over in the reflection of the window. I’m wearing the red dress Gunner asked for. It’s long and hugs my curves in all the right places. My hair is pulled up into an elegant twist, and my makeup is on point. I’m not one of those women who needs someone else to come help them with makeup and hair. I think I’ve known how to do my makeup since I was in eighth grade. I stride towards the front steps, my stilettos not slowing me down. The nice thing about Gunner being tall is I can wear heels and still be shorter than him. I take one last breath before opening the door and striding inside.

The living room has been turned into a studio, from the looks of it. A woman I don’t know stands with an expensive looking camera next to one of the backdrops. I walk over to her and extend a hand. “Hi, I’m Chloe.”

The woman turns to me and gives me a warm smile. “Hi, Chloe. I’m Olivia.”

I shake her hand. “Thanks for coming here today.”

“Oh, it’s my privilege. To get to photograph Gunner? I don’t even need to be paid to do that.” My lips settle into a thin line, and I don’t respond. Apparently, she doesn’t need me to. “What do you think, Chloe? Do you think he’ll let me do some photos of him shirtless?” She doesn’t look at me when she asks; she’s still snapping photos of the background she has set up.

“I don’t think so,” I say in a clipped voice.

“Oh, come on now. You can’t keep all that deliciousness to yourself.”

I shrug. “I’m his fiancé; I’m pretty sure I can.”

“But he’s got such a beautiful body. Don’t you think other people should—”

“No.” I cut off her ridiculous statement before she finishes it and turn around, trying to find something useful to do with my hands. I look up in time to see Gunner walking towards me. Neither of us say a word as our eyes connect only for a moment before his eyes leave mine to travel down my body slowly and reverently. By the time they make it back to my face and meet my eyes, I feel short of breath.

“You look amazing,” he says in a low voice.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.” I’m proud of the way my voice sounds—cool and completely unaffected by his presence.

“Ooo, Gunner, you look smoking hot,” Olivia says from behind me.

I clench my teeth; I’m beginning to really not like our photographer. “Where’d you get the photographer?” I question him softly, stepping closer to him.

He glances over at Olivia before looking back at me. “Not a fan?” His voice is just as quiet, so she can’t hear us.

I shrug, trying to play it off as if she doesn’t bother me in the least. “Gunner,” Olivia’s annoying voice trills. “What do we have to do to get you to pose for a few photos shirtless?”

I resist the urge to grind my teeth. Gunner stares at me and shrugs, and I turn away, fighting the urge to say something we’re all going to regret. Gunner snags my hand and turns me back to him. His eyes hold an emotion I can’t quite place, which is unusual. I know all of Gunner’s expressions. “You want me to send her away?”

I don’t have to think about it. “Yes.” I take a breath and push away this annoying feeling coursing through me. “But it’s fine;Ican be a professional.”

His eyes glint at my emphasis. “But she can’t?” he asks, smirking.

“Let’s just get this over with.”

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