Page 33 of Claimed (The Captain’s Captive #2)

“Yes, I want to talk,” he said in his usual deep rumble, as if to contradict her thoughts about him being playful. A little smile on her lips, Trish rested her head on his shoulder. When had she changed so much as to find him amusing?

Carrying Trish through the halls of the compound gave Jordan a satisfaction he’d never experienced. Even after she’d chosen to stay with him, he had worried she might change her mind or wake up and turn into … well, someone else. Not his Trish.

Instead, she’d become more ‘his Trish’ than ever.

Sweet, with just a hint of occasional brat when she was looking to play.

Before, he might not have thought her occasional challenges for dominance would have been a good thing, but Jordan had found that, with Trish, he liked it.

Unlike his previous girlfriends, Trish didn’t want to win the challenge.

She preferred it when he ended one of her little challenges by tossing her over his knee and turning her bottom a bright pink before fucking her to screaming orgasm.

It was a system that worked for both of them.

Jordan thought about the Wolf’s offer.

Being part of the first colony off planet didn’t appeal to Jordan.

He’d already had enough of scrabbling and working hard to get where he was now, and Trish hadn’t had an easy time in her life either.

He wanted to relax and pamper her and he had the means to do so now.

Plus, a colony would need colonists who wanted kids. Jordan didn’t want kids.

But he didn’t know what Trish wanted. Giving her the option to stay or go back to the Moon … well, it had changed how she was with him in a good way. He liked it. The Wolf had been right: giving a choice was good. Jordan wanted to talk about this with Trish so they could choose together.

It was strange that he hadn’t been willing to bend for any of the women he’d been with before when they’d demanded he do so, but with Trish—of whom he’d taken complete control—Jordan wanted her to be happy. So, he’d bend if that’s what she wanted. She wouldn’t have to demand.

He still hoped she would want to stay on Earth, though. Preferably without kids. Although, if she wanted some, Jordan would do his best to not completely suck as a father. If nothing else, he could probably manage better than his own had. The thought still didn’t appeal.

Trish lay quietly in his arms until he reached their room, where she perked up again, amused by the idea of Jordan wanting to talk.

Which was a little insulting.

He talked.

He talked more to her than he’d talked to anyone in his life.

It wasn’t that big of a deal.

But the way her blue eyes sparkled as he set her down on the bed, a little smile curving her lips, said she thought it was. Jordan didn’t let any of his feelings of exasperation show. He did talk.

“What are we talking about?” Her eyes still sparkled with amusement, and Trish tilted her head to the side impishly.

Did she realize she adopted a higher, more girlish voice, at times? Often, when they’d been in the special room he’d had designed and decorated for her in Rio, and whenever Trish had been bratty, her voice got a little lilt and resonated a little higher.

Since Jordan had liked it and hadn’t wanted her to stop, he hadn’t pointed it out, in case she hadn’t noticed.

While Trish had loved her room and the toys—one stuffed teddy bear in particular—she hadn’t liked having it pointed out to her, and would deny herself the things she liked if he brought attention to it.

“Going to the colony or staying here on Earth,” he said, moving to lay down on the bed and pull her on top of him.

Trish was so light she felt like a blanket—one that didn’t cover him all the way.

He started pulling her hair to the side with one hand, stroking the silky strands as he ran his fingers through them.

Her head was tucked against his chest, practically under his chin, and Jordan’s cock started to swell.

This would likely be a short conversation.

“What do you want?” Her voice lilted in the way it did when she was teasing, trying to get him to talk more.

As usual, Jordan didn’t rise to the bait. “I want to stay here,” he said seriously, ignoring the tease and continuing to arrange her hair the way he wanted it.

She waited, holding her breath, and a little smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he felt the impatience build in her body. Eventually, she let out all the air she’d been holding in a long sigh.

“Why do you want to stay here?” she asked.

“You have to answer what you want to do first,” he said. Rather reasonably, he felt.

She squirmed on top of him. “I want to know why you want to stay here,” she said, finally, instead of answering the question. “I don’t know what I want, so knowing your reasons might help me make up my mind.”

After a moment of consideration, Jordan decided she had a point.

If Trish didn’t know which she preferred, he might as well make his case.

The hand not currently tangled in her hair stroked down her back to palm her ass.

Besides, the faster they had this discussion, the sooner he could fuck her. And then he’d need to get back to work.