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His lips hit mine and I forget how wrong it is, my mouth opening when his tongue demands it. His teeth lightly scrape my bottom lip, forcing a low groan from him, and he pulls back before even getting started.
Captain chuckles, tilting his head to the side. “I knew it,” he rasps.
“Knew what?”
“You want me,” he says, drawing back, but only by an inch, and his knuckles skim down my neck. “Same way I want you.” His eyes find mine again. “Say it.”
Reality slams back into place and I tense.
What did I just do?
We’ve had a simmering attraction for weeks, months even. He’s never said it, but I catch him staring, not that he tries to hide it. We’ve talked, but not about anything outside of what we’ve needed to. We’ve hung out, but never alone, except for the night Raven married Maddoc.
Neither of us could sleep, and we both ended up out on the balcony looking up at the stars. It was comfortable, the silence we sat in, so when he said he was going to watch a movie, I took that as an invitation and followed him to his room.
I did sleep in his bed.
I didn’t realize I touched him, and while I have been known to talk in my sleep, he never mentioned it. Not that he had a chance.
Like he said, I’d been avoiding him, but not for the reasons he’s thinking.
I swallow, shaking my head as I answer his question in a copout way.
“I hardly know you,” I admit. “And you don’t know me at all.”
“But you want to know me, like I need to know you.”
My skin heats at his words.
Like he needs...
“You won’t like what you find.”
“I like enough already, and I’m not asking you to tell me all your secrets, even though you already know about my biggest one.”
Fuck.
“You’ve been out here every day, beauty. You’ve seen her, my daughter.”
My jaw clenches tight and I consider lying for the hell of it, but he saw me, right?
I give a jerky nod.
“You want to meet her?”
My brows slam together, the hope in his eyes causing my stomach to grow tight.
He’s gonna hate me.
“Come on.” He steps back, while I remain frozen in place. “I was only supposed to be grabbing her ball from my car. Let’s not make her come looking for me.”
“Too. Fucking. late.” Raven’s chuckled words float from behind me and I tense. “We found you.”
We? Oh no.
“Daddy!”
No, no, no.
Not like this.
Captain’s eyes instantly cut behind me and he backs up even more, beaming at the little girl I know is just behind me.
He bends down, and as he does, two more sets of footsteps grow closer.
They’re all here.
“Come here, Zo.” He crooks his finger at her. “Come meet our friend.”
My chest starts to ache, moisture building in my eyes and I force a deep breath.
I catch Raven’s eyes a moment and she frowns at my demeanor.
She takes a half step toward me, but then Zoey bursts past her and her eyes follow the little blonde who throws herself against her daddy’s chest. “Find you, find you!” She laughs.
Cap’s smile bounces to me, but his eyes tighten at the sight. He keeps his grin on for Zoey, reluctantly pulling his eyes back to her.
“Zoey.” He spins her around, and her eyes hit mine. “This is—”
Her eyes widen with her smile and she tugs free from him, running right for me.
I drop to my knees quickly and she wraps her little arms around my neck.
“Rora!”
I hug her back, my eyes rising to Cap as he pushes to his feet, in slow, methodical movements.
Royce and Maddoc step closer, while Raven stands frozen, eyes stuck on me.
Zoey pulls back, smiling at me. “I miss you, Rora!”
I swallow, forcing a smile, while tension threatens to knock me over. “I miss you, too, ZoZo.”
She laughs and pulls away.
“Hey, Zoey Bear,” Royce calls her. “Let’s go get some ice cream, huh?”
“Ice cream!” she shouts and runs away, but not before pausing and running back to rub her nose across mine. “Eskimo kisses!”
I force the tears in my eyes to stay right where they are. “And butterfly hugs.”
She laughs and runs away. “So much, Rora!”
So much, ZoZo.
Captain’s jaw clenches and he takes a step back.
My hands lift and slowly, I push to stand, my eyes bouncing between the three.
Maddoc’s glare is locked on me, while Raven continues to look from where Zoey ran off to me.
Cap though, he doesn’t look away. His eyes turn to glaciers, the sharp edges of his jaw growing more profound as he drops his chin closer to his chest.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, looking between the two. “There was no right time to tell.”
“My daughter knows who you are,” Captain rumbles. “How?”
I look to Raven and back to him. “Maria,” I whisper. “She’s my mother.”
