Claim Me Captain! I'm Addicted to You!
Chapter 33: Island (7)

Chapter 33: Island (7)

Dinner passed in heavy silence, thick with unsaid thoughts and stolen glances. The only sound between them was the occasional crackle of the fire and the distant roll of thunder and raindrops.

Neither of them spoke.

Not even after the last bite.

Nick stood, brushing off his hands. He walked over to the pile of coconut leaves near the fire and tested their dryness. "Still damp," he muttered, almost to himself, before dragging them closer to the flames.

Georgia didn’t answer. She remained where she was, curled up in front of the fire, her knees hugged tightly to her chest, chin resting on them, watching Nick quietly.

Nick moved next to the blankets, fingers trailing across the fabric. He found one that was nearly dry, just slightly cool to the touch.

He turned to her and held out one corner. "Here. Let’s wave this together to dry it faster. So you can get some sleep."

"Same plan," he added. "You sleep first. I’ll keep watch."

Georgia finally rose to her feet, moving without a word. She took the other end of the blanket and pulled it toward herself, lifting it to her neck to shield her body.

They began waving the blanket up and down in rhythm. Neither of them looked away.

Once the blanket was finally dry, Nick handed Georgia the other end. "Go lay it over the leaves. Your clothes should be dry by now—get dressed and settle in."

He didn’t wait for a reply. He needed space. Now.

"I’ll grab some branches," he added briskly. "We’ll use them to build a makeshift barrier around the cave. Just in case."

And then he was gone, disappearing into the night like a man running after a metered taxi.

The moment he was far enough from the cave, Nick let out a sharp breath and ran both hands through his hair, gripping the back of his neck as if trying to contain the storm erupting inside him.

’Damn it!’

He leaned his back against a tree, the bark biting into his spine, his jaw clenched tight. But it wasn’t enough to distract him from the ache burning lower, hard and unrelenting.

The image of Georgia, bare legs, abdomen, half-naked, damp lacy underwear, firelight highlighting her wet skin, was seared into his mind. Every curve. Every soft breath she took. Every flicker of her eyes when she realized he was watching her.

He looked down and cursed under his breath, the throbbing bulge in his pants making his pulse spike.

"You’ve got to be kidding me," he muttered bitterly. "This is not the time... Just calm down will you?!"

But logic couldn’t compete with the heat crashing through him.

Nick’ s head tilted back toward the dark canopy above. His other hand dropped to the front of his jeans, pressure building against the rough fabric.

"Georgia..." he whispered, like her name alone could release him from the torment.

But it only made it worse.

His imagination betrayed him. In his mind, he was undressing her slowly, layer by layer. Skin flushed from the fire, lips parted, eyes glazed with desire.

He imagined what she might sound like. How her body would feel beneath his. How she might beg or command him to take her.

Every thought pushed him further to the edge of a need he couldn’t silence.

And still... he didn’t go back. The beast between his legs is screaming for release. He needed this to pass.

Because the next time he touched her, it wouldn’t be in a fantasy. It would be real, he told himself.

When Nick returned to the cave, the fire was burning low. Georgia was already curled up on the makeshift bed of leaves and blankets, fully dressed.

He exhaled quietly, equal parts relief and frustration.

He changed into the only pair of pants they had left, then sat by the entrance, his back to the cool stone wall, eyes locked on her sleeping form.

She looked peaceful. Vulnerable. Tempting... Too tempting...

’I don’t know how long I can keep this up...’ he thought, dragging a hand down his face. ’Help me, heavens... because this woman is going to drive me insane very very soon!’

Eventually, exhaustion won. Nick’s head slumped back against the stone, eyes slipping shut.

When he stirred again, the cave was bathed in morning light, and a blanket had been draped over his body.

He blinked and sat up, surprised. His gaze swept the cave, and then he spotted her outside.

Georgia knelt on the flat surface of a large rock, slicing a ripe papaya.

"Morning," he called out, his voice still heavy with sleep.

She turned, beaming at him with a smile that made something deep in his chest throb. "You didn’t wake me!" she scolded gently. "We were supposed to switch before dawn."

Nick rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly. "Yeah, I know. I must’ve knocked out. Sorry about that. What do you have there?"

"Breakfast." She held up a slice of papaya. "Come here, let’s not eat inside the cave. It might attract pests."

He stepped out and joined her, taking the fruit from her hand. Their skin brushing against each other, making them both look into each other’s eyes before breaking away.

"What’s our agenda today?" she asked, licking juice from her bottom lip.

Nick’s gaze lingered there for a fraction of a second longer than it should have. That sight just made him drool for a second.

He cleared his throat. "I need to go back to the ridge. Tell my sister about the raft and supplies. I’ll ask her to move the rescue up to five days."

Georgia nodded. "Alright. I’ll stay here and gather the fruit we marked. Maybe check the shore too. I want to clean the empty cans, and we can use them to cook if I find anything usable. We need more firewood, too. Good thing you know how to start a fire."

She paused. "You think there’s a freshwater source nearby?"

"I’ll try to find one on my way back," Nick replied. Then he unfastened his watch and held it out to her. "Here. Let’s meet back here by noon."

Georgia frowned. "What about you?"

"I’ve got the sun," he smirked. "When it’s directly overhead, I’ll be back."

Then his voice dipped, serious. "Be careful. Don’t let your guard down. There could be dangerous animals—or worse. People. We still don’t know if this island is really uninhabited."

Georgia stood and gave him a playful salute, her voice mock-formal. "Aye, aye, Captain."

Nick let out a surprised laugh. But behind that laugh was something else. ’Stop being cute, Georgia! I don’t know what I might do to you if you continue being like this!’ he told himself.