The Captain I Married by Chance novel Chapter 390

"I overreacted."

Nathan let out a soft laugh.

"Just over that?"

"Yes," Nora said, her tone entirely serious. "You aren't that kind of guy, and I shouldn't have reacted like that."

"I really am sorry."

After she spoke, a long silence stretched between them.

If the warm air from the hairdryer hadn't been continuously blowing through her hair, she would have thought he'd vanished into thin air.

When the silence stretched too long, Nora couldn't help but look back over her shoulder. "Are you angry?"

Nathan met her cautious gaze, sighed heavily, and switched off the hairdryer.

"No."

"Then why aren't you saying anything?"

Nathan stared into her eyes. He hesitated for a long second before saying, "I'm trying to figure out how to phrase this."

Nora was thoroughly confused. "Phrase what?"

A small, helpless smile tugged at the corner of Nathan's mouth. He reached out, gently pulling Nora against his chest, his hand resting softly on her hair. "Because I am a normal man."

"And it's impossible for a normal man not to have those kinds of thoughts about the woman he loves."

Nora froze.

Feeling the sudden stiffness in her posture, Nathan paused for a beat before continuing softly, "The biggest difference between a human and an animal is the ability to exercise self-control."

"And the difference between a real man and the rest is that a real man cherishes and protects the woman he loves, refusing to let her suffer even the slightest bit of discomfort. The others just surrender to base instincts."

"Nora, I'm not afraid of you laughing at me."

"When it comes to you, I feel both."

Nora drew in a sharp breath.

Her mind instantly flashed to a popular romantic trope she had seen online. She asked tentatively, "Are you saying... you feel both romantic love and physical lust for me?"

Nathan, who hadn't scrolled through social media in roughly eight hundred years, had no idea she was quoting a meme.

But the concept wasn't hard to grasp.

So he admitted it without hesitation. "Exactly."

Nora was speechless.

She shot him a fierce glare and stood up abruptly. "Well, I'm tired and I'm going to sleep!"

Seeing her puff up like an angry little kitten, Nathan couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Alright, I'll walk you back."

Did he really need to walk her back when it was just up one flight of stairs?

Nora thought it was ridiculous.

But she didn't stop him.

They walked up together. Nathan held the glass of warm water for her the entire way, only handing it over once they reached her door.

"Call me if you need anything tonight."

She never expected the usually decisive, ruthless Officer Peyton to have such a fussy, overprotective side.

Nora took the glass from his hand, murmured a soft, "I know," and turned to step inside.

Just as she was about to close the door, she saw him still standing there, watching her like a devoted puppy. A sudden smile curved her lips. She leaned out, pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, and slammed the door shut!