Page 35 of The Captain's Curfew

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I lose her.

I lose him.

And the team?The team doesn’t need a captain who can’t even follow his own damn rules.

Still, can I stay away from her?

No, and I don’t want to.I want Violet.More than anything.

“We’ll have to tell my brother…about us,” Violet says like she can read my mind.

I pause.Her smile falters, and my heart cracks a bit in my chest.I can’t hurt her or push her away.Not anymore.

“Logan?We have to tell Declan about this,” she says, motioning between us.“About whatever this is.”

I nod.

She swallows hard.“What is this?”She whispers.“To you?”

“I…” I start.

Her lips part, but she doesn’t interrupt.

"We’re… Fuck!I’m scared to say it out loud."

"Say it now," she says quietly.

I meet her eyes."We’re… We’re more than a fling.We’re not fooling around.You’re not just my best friend’s little sister.You’re...you’re Violet.And I’m falling for you.Hard."

Her eyes fill, but she blinks fast, holding her tears back.

She nods and smiles.“I’m falling for you, too,” she whispers.

My heart takes off in my chest.

A silence stretches between us.

Then she says, "So what now?"

I reach out and take her hand."Now I stop being a coward."

She searches my face."Even if Declan finds out?Even if it causes a mess?"

"Especially then."

And when she leans forward and kisses me—soft and sure and everything I’ve been needing—I know there’s no going back.

Whatever happens next, we’ll face it together.

Even if it means breaking every rule I ever made.

Even if it means falling harder than I ever planned.

Her hands tug at my shirt, and I help her pull it off.I toss it aside as her hands go to my pants, and I grin as she struggles to get them unbuttoned.In the end, I help her get them off.

She wiggles out of her yoga pants and shirt, stripping in record time.I grab her hips and boost her up onto the kitchen counter.

“Cold!”she gasps.

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