The Captain's Dirty Little Secret

Chapter 164: Chapter 164 - That’s Enough

Roxie looked at him.

That landed harder than she wanted it to.

"I know," she said.

Zac’s grip tightened on the dryer behind her. "Then why?"

"Because I panicked."

His eyes stayed on hers.

Roxie swallowed. "Because every time someone looks at me now, I feel like they’re checking my stomach first. I hear them whisper before I even pass them. I see their eyes go to you, then back to me, like they’re waiting for us to slip."

Zac’s face shifted, but only a little.

"So you used Ethan."

Roxie hated how ugly it sounded when he said it.

"Yes."

His eyebrows lifted.

She looked away first. "Yes, okay? I used Ethan. I knew what people would think if I came in with him. I knew it would make them question the rumor. I knew it would make you angry too."

Zac stared at her.

The room went quiet around them, even with the music still thudding through the wall.

"You knew," he said.

Roxie nodded.

"And you still did it."

"Yes."

His mouth tightened, and for a second, she thought he would step back.

She reached for him before he could.

Her fingers caught the front of his shirt.

Zac looked down at her hand, then back at her face.

"Roxie."

"I missed you."

His eyes sharpened. "That’s unfair."

"I know."

"You know exactly what you’re doing."

She went still.

For a second, guilt crawled up her throat.

Then Zac’s eyes dropped to her mouth.

Roxie saw it.

She saw the anger still there. She saw the hurt under it. She saw the part of him that wanted to keep fighting, and the part that wanted her closer more.

That was the part she touched.

She rose on her toes and kissed him.

Zac stayed stiff at first.

His mouth barely moved. His hands stayed planted on either side of her, gripping the dryer like he was holding himself back from touching her.

Roxie pulled away just enough to breathe against his lips.

"I did miss you," she whispered. "That part isn’t a lie."

His jaw flexed.

"You’re doing it again."

"What?"

"Trying to make me forget why I’m mad."

Roxie’s heart beat harder.

He was right.

She kissed him again anyway.

This time, she kept it slower. Softer. She pressed one hand to his chest and felt how fast his heart was beating under her palm. Zac’s breath came out rough, but he did not pull away.

So Roxie pushed a little more.

"I hate walking past you," she murmured. "I hate acting like I don’t care when you’re right there."

Zac’s eyes closed for half a second.

There.

She kissed his jaw.

His hand finally left the dryer and landed on her waist.

Roxie felt the shift immediately. His fingers curled against her side, firm and possessive, and she leaned into it like she was giving him something.

"You came with him," Zac said, but his voice had dropped.

"I’m here with you."

"That doesn’t fix it."

"I know."

Roxie kissed the side of his neck.

Zac’s hand tightened on her waist at once.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath.

She felt it then, the first real break in him. His fingers pressed harder against her side, and his head tilted a little before he seemed to catch himself.

Roxie kissed him there again.

Slower.

Zac groaned, low and frustrated, like the sound had been dragged out of him against his will.

"Roxie."

She lifted her head. "Tell me to stop."

His eyes opened.

For a moment, he only stared at her. His jaw worked once. His hand stayed on her waist, gripping her like he wanted to move her away and pull her closer at the same time.

"You know I don’t want to," he said.

Roxie’s stomach dipped.

She did know.

That was the worst part.

She touched his face, thumb brushing near the corner of his mouth. "Then kiss me."

Zac cursed again, quieter this time, and dropped his forehead against hers.

"You’re so messed up for this," he said.

"I know."

"And now you’re doing this."

Roxie leaned closer until her mouth almost touched his. "Yes."

Zac stared at her for one more second.

Then he broke.

His mouth crashed into hers, hard enough to push her back against the dryer. Roxie’s fingers flew to his hair, and he groaned into the kiss like he hated how much he wanted it. His hands moved from the dryer to her waist, then her ribs, pulling her against him with a rough, helpless sound.

"Damn it," he breathed against her mouth.

Roxie kissed him again.

He tried to pull back once, barely an inch, but she followed him and caught his lower lip between hers. Zac’s breath hitched. His eyes shut. His grip tightened.

"Rox," he muttered. "I’m serious."

"So am I."

She kissed his jaw, then the corner of his mouth.

His head dropped again.

"Shit," he whispered.

That was when Roxie knew she had him.

Zac slid his hands under her thighs and lifted her onto the washing machine beside the dryer. Roxie gasped as the cold metal pressed under her legs. He stepped between them fast, like giving himself distance had already become impossible.

His mouth found hers again.

The kiss turned heavier. Angrier. Needier. Zac kissed her like he was still trying to argue, but every second made him worse at it. He groaned when she tugged his hair. He cursed when she arched closer. His hands kept moving, waist, ribs, back, then waist again, like he had lost the ability to settle.

"You drive me insane," he said against her lips.

Roxie breathed out a small laugh. "I know."

His eyes opened, dark and wrecked. "That is exactly the problem."

She smiled, soft and guilty, and pulled him back in.

His shoulder dropped and his mouth softened for half a second before turning hungry again.

Roxie caught one of his wrists.

Zac froze.

His breathing was rough. "Roxie."

She guided his hand upward and placed his palm over her breast through her shirt.

His whole body went still.

His eyes dropped to his hand, then snapped back to her face. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

His fingers flexed once.

Careful.

Then again, firmer.

Roxie’s breath slipped, and Zac groaned like that small sound had hit him harder than the whole argument.

"God," he muttered. "You can’t make sounds like that."

"You touched me."

"You put my hand there."

"And you kept it there."

His mouth parted slightly.

Then he kissed her again, rough and deep, his palm pressing more fully over her chest. His thumb moved through the fabric, slow at first, then with more confidence when she leaned into him. Roxie covered his hand with hers for a moment, guiding him, showing him the pressure she liked.

Zac cursed into her mouth.

His other hand slid around her back and pulled her closer until there was almost no space left between them. His hips pressed into hers.

Roxie’s breath caught.

Zac heard it.

His forehead dropped against hers for a second, his breathing rough and uneven. "Fuck," he muttered. "Roxie."

She looked at him, lips parted.

That was all it took.

He kissed her again and moved against her.

The first roll of his hips was careful, like he was testing whether she would stop him. Roxie’s fingers tightened in his hair instead. Zac groaned at that, low and helpless, then did it again.

This time, slower.

Harder.

Roxie’s head tipped back against the wall. Her legs tightened loosely around his hips, holding him there. Zac’s mouth found her neck, and he cursed against her skin when she shifted forward to meet him.

"You’re doing this on purpose," he breathed.

Roxie’s eyes fluttered open. "Maybe."

"God, you’re evil."

She smiled, breathless. "You like me."

"I’m mad at you."

"You’re grinding on me."

Zac froze for half a second.

Then his forehead dropped to her shoulder, and a strained laugh broke out of him. "Fuck."

Roxie felt him folding completely. It was in his hands, in the way he held her tighter, in the way his hips moved again even after he had called himself out. He wanted to stay angry. His body had already chosen.

She let him kiss her one more time.

Deep.

Slow.

Enough to make his hand tighten on her waist and his breath catch again.

Then Roxie pulled back.

Zac followed her mouth at once.

She leaned away just enough to make him miss.

His eyes opened, dark and frustrated. "Roxie."

She slipped one hand from his hair and pressed two fingers lightly to his chest.

"That’s enough."

He stared at her.

"What?"

Roxie smiled, still breathing hard. Then she winked.

"That’s enough for tonight."

Zac looked at her like she had just ruined his life.

"You’re kidding."

She slid off the washing machine before he could catch her again. Her knees felt weak, but she made herself walk steady. She fixed her shirt, smoothed her hair, and reached for the door.

Zac stayed planted between the washer and dryer, chest rising hard, one hand dragging over his mouth.

"Roxie," he said, warning in his voice.

She looked back at him from the doorway.

"If everything settles down," she said softly, "and people leave us alone, I’ll go on that date with you."

His jaw clenched.

"The one you keep pestering me about."

Zac’s eyes narrowed. "You’re bribing me."

"Maybe."

"You’re terrible."

"I know."

Then she opened the door and slipped out.

Zac stood there for one stunned second.

The door shut behind her.

From inside the laundry room, muffled through the wood, came his rough, furious whisper.

"Fuck."