I sighed. There was nothing I could say about it except that I was sorry. I didn’t think my pride was going to let me apologize, though.
Captain turned and headed toward his office. All I could do was fall in step behind him. I could feel Brad’s eyes on my retreating back, but there was no way I was saying goodbye to him or even looking at him. I might not be able to make eye contact with him again after this. Somehow I’d managed to embarrass myself even more.
At the first step I took into Captain’s office, he turned and wrapped his hand around my wrist and tugged me closer before slamming the door behind me. I jumped, and my pulse quickened under his firm touch. I’d made him angry, but I wasn’t scared of him.
“Girlfriend?” he said in a low, gravelly voice, as he backed me up against the door. “Last time I checked, it was your * I was tasting.”
Oh, dear God.
“Elle has no power to do shit to you. Her threats are pointless. I won’t let her hurt you, and you know that. You should know that.” He stopped and lowered his head until his lips kissed my neck. “You getting jealous pisses me off and turns me the fuck on, all at the same time.”
Oh, dear God.
His tongue came out, and he ran it along the curve of my neck. “Don’t want anyone else. Told you last night it was always your face. Every damn time. I never could love anyone but you.”
My body melted against him.
“I tried all there was to try. I did everything I could to get you out of my head. But not one day went by that I didn’t miss you. That I didn’t see your face when I closed my eyes.”
His mouth trailed kisses up my neck, until he placed one small one at the corner of my mouth. Then he rested his forehead against mine and picked me up by the waist until I was at his eye level.
“Tell me what set you off. Was it Elle walking out of my office? Just because she comes in here to bitch doesn’t mean I want her here. You need to trust me.”
“You didn’t call or even text me all day,” I blurted out.
A slow smile tugged at his lips, and he shook his head. “I was giving you some space to accept this. Us. Last night was intense, and I didn’t want to overwhelm you. But if I’d thought for a second you were waiting for me to call, I’d have fucking called you.”
All the worry and jealousy that had been eating me up vanished, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’m sorry.”
He chuckled and leaned in to claim my mouth in a kiss that was as sweet as it was hot. I grabbed handfuls of his hair, and his hands gripped me tighter as he pulled me against him. “Wrap your legs around me,” he said against my lips.
When I did, he walked me over to the sofa and sank down onto it while holding me. “I think I’ll keep you in here all night,” he said with a cocky grin.
“I’ll definitely get written up then,” I replied.
He shrugged. “I know the boss.”
Laughing, I leaned in to kiss him again. Because when we were like this, I was home.
Captain
I stood watching Addy in the dining room with one of her tables. I kept trying to focus on work, but I always ended up right back here. She laughed at the older man who was telling her some story that his wife looked amused by as well. She had a charm about her that put everyone at ease. I found myself wanting that all to myself.
“So that’s what has you so distracted lately,” Blaire’s voice whispered beside me. Turning, I looked down at my sister, who was checking out Addy with a grin on her face.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, a little annoyed to be caught by Blaire of all people.
“Coming to find out why you’ve ignored my last two phone calls and only given me one-word answers to my texts.” She nodded her head in Addy’s direction. “I like what I see. This is a good reason to ignore me. Bethy said she saw you with an attractive redhead and an adorable little blond girl last night. I thought I’d come see you and ask about it. But I can see for myself instead. So she has a daughter?”
I stepped back into the hallway before Addy could turn and see us looking at her and talking. I hadn’t noticed Blaire’s friend Bethy in Grayton last night, but then I’d had my eyes on my girls. No one else had mattered.
“Come to my office,” I told her. If Blaire was going to ask questions, I wanted some privacy.
“I didn’t peg you as someone who’d date a single mom, but I’m liking this side of you.”
“The girl, Franny. She’s mine.” There, I’d said it. I needed to tell someone. I wanted to tell someone. Blaire’s eyes went wide, and her mouth fell open as she stared at me.
“Yours?” she asked, still in shock.
“Rose . . . is from my past. A piece of my past that I keep close. It’s a long story. I didn’t know about Franny until a week ago.”