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A knock sounds at my door, and Captain lowers her head and growls. After what we just lived through, I don’t blame her.
“It’s me, Dad,” Caleb announces from outside.
Captain stops growling and hops up, prancing over to the door.
“Come in,” I call.
My son uses his key and waltzes in, flopping onto a side chair. Chelsea tried to pull away when the door opened, but I yanked her back against me and held her there.
Caleb watches us with a satisfied smile. “You guys doing okay?”
“We’re alright,” I answer. “Are you having any side effects from the fentanyl?”
My son shrugs as though he’s invincible. “Nah. I’m fine. I’m milking it with Mom, though. This is the first time since starting school that all my laundry is clean at the same time.”
I shake my head, and Caleb drops his smile and stares at Chelsea. He doesn’t speak for a long time. “You got shot protecting my dad. And you told me to run while that asshole held a gun to your head.”
Chelsea doesn’t say anything, so I figure it’s time I made formal introductions. “Chelsea, this is my son Caleb. Caleb, this is Chelsea.”
Caleb grins and leans forward to shake Chelsea’s hand. It strikes me at that moment: the sharp structure of his jaw, shrewd eyes, and muscular frame. My little boy has been replaced by a man.
“Glad to meet you…officially, anyways,” he tells her.
“You look so much like your father.”
“Even better,” he brags. “Dad tells me you were a Marine?”
I settle back onto the sofa, enjoying seeing my son and woman getting along. It’s a very good thing they do. I’m going to make Chelsea marry me one day, so she may as well get used to the idea.
Hell, I’m even tempted to retire just to get more time with her. I want to wake up beside her every morning that we’re both stateside. Thoughts of falling asleep with my hand between her legs every night stir up a fierce hunger in me.
With each passing minute, my desire grows. The two most important people in my life continue talking while I fight off the urge to take Chelsea to bed. I stroke my hands up and down her spine, but feeling the heat of her skin only makes things worse.
After another minute, my control shatters. I rudely interrupt their conversation. “Caleb, say goodnight.”
“What?” he yelps, shock reddening his cheeks.
“It’s time for you to go home.”
He laughs nervously. “Um… Are you kidding?”
“Son, we’re about to do naked shit in the living room. Unless you want to be here for that, I suggest you split.”
Caleb covers his eyes and shoves out of the chair. “Oh God. I’m out of here. Come on, Captain. You can go home with me, and I’ll take you to a baseball game tomorrow.”
My hand is up Chelsea’s shirt before the door closes. “Did you just kick your son out so you could get laid?”
“Mmhmm.” I nip at her neck and whisper, “Run, little girl. You’ve got sixty seconds.”
“Uh… Jackson, you live in a crowded subdivision. I could be to the edge of your yard in ten.”
“Fifty seconds,” I growl.
“Your room in three.”
“Forty-five seconds.”
“Oh shit.”
Excitement flashes in Chelsea’s eyes, and she shoots up from the couch. I don’t let her get far. I grab a fistful of her shirt and yank her back, flipping her under me. Hovering over the fascinating woman, I shove her top and bra out of the way and latch onto a pert nipple. “You aren’t going anywhere.”