Page 75 of The Admiral's Daughter

So many new questions to go along with the very new feelings I’m having towards one woman…and no other. I’ve not thought of another woman since Cleo agreed to date me. Which, okay, I know, is only a few days, but for past River ‘Romeo’ Dawson, it’s unheard of. Being at sea never stopped me fantasising about random women, yet now all I see is Cleo. Is that normal? I don’t know. I’ve never felt this way before. It’s like my brain has been rewired. Like Cleo has taken up permanent residence in my head and my heart.

And the scary part? I don’t want her to leave.

“River?”

Oh yes, I’m on a date with her and here I am, drifting into the quagmire that holds my complicated and unfamiliar feelings.

“Sorry, I wandered for a second.”

“Anything you want to talk about?”

She’s possibly thinking I’m about to press my digital ‘boop’ button to have another conversation about us.

“Honestly? I was thinking about my future prospects in the Navy.”

She chuckles. “Is my company that boring you need to think about work?”

She says it in jest, but I see the layer of worry under the surface.

“Not at all! In fact, it’s talking to you and getting to know you that’s making me rethink things.”

Cocking her head to the side, I trace the fall of her hair. I want to reach over and run my fingers through it, but that might come across as too forward, so I’ll hold off.

Nibbling my bottom lip, I deliberate on how much to tell her without freaking her the fuck out.

“I’ve never really thought past the immediate future. Staying in the Navy was never in question for me, andthat hasn’t changed, but then we started doing this…you know, dating and well, not to sound presumptuous or anything, but I could see us in the future, when we’re back in Portsmouth. Still dating…”

I glance at Cleo’s face to see if she’s having any kind of negative reaction to my waffling. So far she’s still looking at me with intrigue, so that’s something.

“Then, I started to think about what my career might look like in ten, fifteen years.”

“And you want more?”

Tapping my hand on the hard, cold metal beneath me, I study her. “Yes, I want more. More of everything.”

“Everything?”

My throat is very dry right now. “Yes. I…I think I want more in my career and more in my, um, love life.”

She shifts, turning her body my way. I can’t tell if she’s just uncomfortable sitting on the floor, or if it’s an unconscious move to get closer to me.

“I like the sound of that,” she replies softly.

“Can I kiss you, Cleo?”

We haven’t even begun on the food, or opened the small bottle of wine sitting in the basket, but I don’t want to wait a second longer.

Nodding, she leans towards me and sighs in relief as I meet her lips. Every kiss is better than the last, and I want to roll my eyes internally at how soppy I’m being. I mean really!

Cleo smiles against my lips. “You’re huffing, River. Did you just realise you’re being all sweet and sappy?”

Laughter bursts from my throat. “Jesus, you’re too observant sometimes, woman!”

Chuckling along, Cleo shrugs her shoulders. “I can read you, River.”

My laughter dies and I find myself smiling at her. “Yeah, you can. It scares me.”

Her hand travels to my cheeks and I melt even further. She’s ruining me.