“In trouble?” I scoff. “By who? You’re in charge around here.”
He giggles softly, his shoulders shaking, and I can’t help the smile that breaks across my face.
“I can think of a few people. You being one of them.”
“It’s alright, Captain. Chalk it up to a stressful day,” I say, hoping to brush over the conversation and just focus on getting him safely across the room.
“So it’s back to Captain?” He looks down at me, his eyes glassy and his face unreadable. “You called me Weston.”
Calling him Weston was a slip of the tongue, mostly out of anger, and trying to get him to see the situation from my perspective. It wasn’t intentional, but I can’t say that it didn’t feel good once I did, especially the moment I saw him realize it.
He leans into me, his weight pushing down on my shoulders as he brings his face closer to mine, his breath tickling my ear.
“I liked it.”
My stomach drops again, but this time not in the bad way. I need more space between us, especially if his inhibitions are this low, and he can’t control what comes out of his mouth.
“I shouldn’t have done that. It won’t happen again,” I say, repeating his exact words back to him. I stare down at our feet and quickly add, “I was mad at you.”
The last thing I need is him reading more into it, especially since I’m trying to convince him that the kiss was nothing. I don’t want him to think I liked it, just like he liked when I said his name.
A grin breaks out across his face and his eyes sparkle. “You’re always mad at me, princess.”
“I am notalwaysmad at you. I can’t help it if you’re an asshole a majority of the time.”
He giggles again. “Only you think I’m an asshole.”
“Hm, I wonder why that is?”
He nods exaggeratedly. “Point taken.” He staggers again, falling onto me, and I struggle to push him upright. His arm has fallen down over my chest, and dangles as we walk. The pressure of his body leaning on mine pulls my shirt in all different directions, and I realize I probably should have put on pants before we did this.
“You are very drunk. Maybe I can handle drunk Captain.”
“Don’t get used to it, princess. It doesn’t happen often.” His smile softens for a second before he looks down at his feet.
So, it only happens when you have to wash away the mistake you made hours before.
We finally make it to his side of the bed, and I pull his arm away from my shoulders and try to stand him upright. He stumbles backwards, falling into the doors of the armoire, a fit of laughter taking over him.
“It’s not funny,” I say through my own giggles. “Can you hold yourself up? Lean against the furniture if you need to.”
He leans back, stabilizing himself, his head lolling to the side as his eyes flutter closed. I take the chance to scan his vest, checking for any blades he may have tucked away, but it is empty. He still has his belt on, though his scabbard is empty. Thankfully, he removed any weapons before he started drinking because we could have been back in the infirmary with as many times as he’s fallen tonight.
I hesitate for a moment, then get over it quickly. There’s no way he will remember any of this tomorrow, and it needs to get done. I reach down and pull at the leather strap to undo his belt, and see his eyes stutter open out of the corner of my eye.
“Are you trying to undress me, princess?” he grumbles, and I squeeze my thighs together.
“No wearing outside clothes in your bed, remember? I’m just following orders, Captain,” I say with a smirk, as I yank the belt off roughly and set it on the ground beside him.
“I think I’ll make an exception.” A muscle in his jaw ticks as he pushes off the armoire, swaying for a moment before catching his balance. “I can do it.”
I take a half step back and try to catch my breath as my heart pounds in my ears. He looks down at the vest and reaches up, his thick fingers fumbling over the knots and only tightening and tangling them.
My shoulders heave with a sigh as I step closer again, reaching up to brush his hands away and take the laces in my own. I suck my lip between my teeth, ignoring the fire licking up my arms at the brush of our fingertips as I move him out of the way, and keep my eyes trained on the task.
Once all the knots he worsened are untangled, I push the vest over his broad shoulders, and it falls to the ground. Before I can step away, he reaches over his head and pulls his shirt off, dropping it to the floor beside him.
My breath stutters, and I try not to stare at the bare chest towering over me, the hard planes I was pressed against hours ago so close once again. It would barely take anything to lean forward and brush a kiss across his skin, and see if his breath stuttered like mine.
