His Alone (For Her 2)

“Don’t bring up the wedding in front of Oz. He’s already trying to get information, but it’s a surprise. He’s always surprising me, and I want to be the one doing it this time…” She trails off as Miles returns with a box in hand.

“I’ll toss these,” he tells her.

“You will not!”

I can tell Miles wants to say more when he flicks a glance my way, but he stops himself. Thank God, because I don’t want to hear about whatever my brother wants to do to my best friend.

A knock on the open door makes us all turn to see Captain standing in the frame. He’s changed from his work clothes. His suit is gone and he’s dressed in a pair of jeans and a gray polo that fits tight across his chest.

“Paige.” He walks over to me, and before I have a chance to wonder what he’s doing, he leans down and kisses me. It doesn’t last long, but the message is obvious. We’re together. He just made that clear in front of Miles and Mallory.

“Osborne.” Captain nods to Miles, who studies us for a second. Mal has those stupid dancing hearts over her head again, and I want to pop them.

“Ryan,” Miles says, and an awkwardness fills the room.

Everyone but Mal seems to notice. Suddenly she’s in planning mode. “We should go on a double date. To dinner or maybe a ball game. Oz get the best seats. Or—”

“Baby, let them be,” Miles says. Mal fake pouts and Miles changes his mind. “I can get good seats.”

He’s easily swayed by her, and Mallory smiles. God, they’re so freaking cute I want to punch them. I think it’s more the effect Mal has had on Miles that’s so intoxicating to see. To want something like that. That a woman has the ability to light up a man’s whole world is fascinating to me and awakens a strange yearning inside me.

“Mal, I’ll text you later. Big guy might not even make it through the night,” I say, tossing my thumb in Captain’s direction.

“Don’t take food off her plate and you’ll be okay,” she informs him.

“I know how to handle my kitten,” he says, lazily wrapping his arms around me. Butterflies take flight in my stomach at the “my,” and I blush. I don’t know whether I want to slam my boot onto his foot or climb him like a tree. Mal’s mouth drops open and she stares in shock.

“Let’s go, baby. I have dinner ready,” Miles says.

“You’re staying here, sir?” Captain asks.

“We won’t be leaving the building.”

Captain pulls out his phone and sends a text. Being my nosy self, I look, and see Grant was the recipient.

“I’ll have Grant make sure Paige’s place is locked up and all the movers exit the building.”

“Sounds good. We’ll be taking the car in the morning,” Miles says as he pulls Mal from my apartment. She’s looking over her shoulder, her mouth open. Maybe Miles can distract her enough so she doesn’t blow my phone up all night.

“Let me grab my bag.” I step away from Captain and scurry down the hall to my bedroom.

I barely make it through the door before Captain is on me, kicking the door shut behind him. He grabs me in his arms and presses me against the closed door. I love how easily he can move me around. It makes me feel desired and feminine, something I’ve never thought of myself as.

“I’m starting to think this wall-pinning situation is our thing,” I mutter.

“Anything that involves you is my thing,” he says, before his mouth falls onto mine. He kisses me like he hasn’t seen me in days. Like we didn’t spend the afternoon at the office flirting before I gave him the slip to come home and change before our date.

When he pulls his mouth from mine, he releases me, and my legs drop to the ground.

“Put some pants on,” he says, looking down at me.

“Okay.” I push past him, grabbing my purse, then I make a lunge for the door, flinging it open and racing down the hallway. He catches me before I get to the front door, and throws me over his shoulder. I think he’s going to take me back to my room, but he doesn’t.

“Guess we’ll just have to walk around like this so I don’t have to worry about anyone thinking you don’t have a man.”

Captain opens the front door, and I try to wiggle free.

“Sir.”

I hear Grant’s voice, and it makes me freeze. “Shit,” I mumble. Now everyone is going to know.

“Don’t let anyone in Paige’s room. It’s the first door on your right down the hall. Text me when everything is clear.”

“Of course, sir,” Grant answers, as Captain carries me in a fireman’s hold toward the elevator.

“Turner,” Grant says as we pass him. I give a small huff as a response.