The girl from the group home.

The feisty, rebel blonde I might have missed had she not put herself in front of me, but the second she did, something in me stirred.

She will love her like a daughter loves a mother, confide in her when she can’t me, fight with her when she doesn’t get her way, and she won’t always.

Together, we’ll protect her and love her and show her how to be strong, independent, and watch as she grows into who she’s meant to be, whatever she wants to be.

The water begins to chill, so I reach out and shut it off, and she pulls back, looking up at me.

My hand sinks into her hair, dripping wet and slick to her back, her brown eyes so fucking soft and open.

I tilt her head, and her lips part, gaze bouncing between mine.

My thumb runs along the plump edge, and her eyes close on a slow blink.

When they open, her pupils are dark and dilated.

“These lips,” I rasp, dipping down to drag mine across them. I groan. “I’ve dreamt of them, imagined them sliding along mine, opening for me, for my cock and my tongue.”

Her hand comes up to grip my wrist, eyes wild.

“They’re mine.”

“So take them.”

My dick twitches at her words.

My free hand comes up, gripping her jaw as my other pulls her closer, my feet shifting in as she tips her head back more, begging. Ready.

Mine.

My pulse is out of control, my heart pounding against my skin, against hers.

I close my eyes, and my fucking toes curl into the puddled water at our feet, anticipation racing up my spine in an exhilarated zing.

I inhale as she does, and my lips press into hers.

She sighs, her lungs seeming to expand, taking in more and more air as I close my mouth around hers, my palms squeezing tighter and then her back hits the wall, and my tongue dives into her mouth, hers fights back, pushing and twisting and rolling with mine.

I groan, and she jumps up, wrapping her legs around mine, letting her ass slide down until she’s aligned with where she wants me.

I grind against her, memorizing her mouth, her sounds and motions.

I reach around, squeezing her ass and she gasps, her head falling back.

And that’s it.

I fly from the shower to the bed.

With her still latched tight around me, I push the comforter down, burying us beneath the sweet satin, knowing I’m about to enter an even sweeter one.

Her legs stay locked around me as her head pulls away, her hands gliding into the hair at the base of my neck.

She lifts, kissing me with slow full strokes, as she shifts her hips, aligning me at her entrance.

Her eyes pop open, locking with mine, and I push inside.

My mouth opens, my forehead creasing as I sink into the softest fucking heat, my body shaking as hers opens, welcoming me fucking home.

“Goddamn, baby,” I moan, pushing in farther and her head falls back.

I take advantage, my mouth trailing kisses down her throat, and with each one her back arches more, driving me deeper, my kisses lower until I can pull her nipple into my mouth.

“Oh, fuck,” she croaks, rolling her hips as she grips and squeezes her free breast the same.

I bite and she twitches, I flick my tongue, and she pulls the other tight between her fingertips.

My baby likes her nipples played with.

I pull out slowly, sliding back in, and she moans, her legs coming up to her sides. I do it again and again and she starts to pant.

“Oh my god… Captain, mmm,” she whispers, her hands gliding across my back and pulling my body down on hers.

She begs for my weight so I give it to her, her moans now right in my ear, lighting me up.

“Mm,” she whimpers. “Harder. More.”

I swiftly squeeze my hand behind her and yank her up more so she’s halfway up the headboard and scoot with her.

My hand comes down, using her ass for leverage, my other hand on the wall behind our heads, and her legs fall open.

I shove inside to the brink and she gasps, a slow smile forming along her face as she pushes back.

I fuck her into the mattress, both our moans filling the air around us.

Fire spreads through my groin, my muscles tightening, and I move faster and faster, until she’s attempting to force me still as it becomes too fucking much, too damn good, but I keep going and her features pull tight, her orgasm right there, ready to set her free.

I thrust in farther, grinding, and she falls apart, her moan loud and airy and in my ear.

I groan, twitching as I fill her, my forehead falling to hers. “Fuck, mmm.” I push in more and she gasps.

Slowly, her muscles ease, and I go to climb off of her, but she quickly wraps her arms around me, holding me there, perfectly fitted against her, the final piece to my puzzle.

Her hands draw small circles along my back, her breathing growing back to normal.

“Hey, Cap?” she whispers.

“Beauty?” I kiss her neck, tasting the sweat I earned.

“I love you.”

My tongue freezes on her, my muscles right there with them, but her touch never slows, her fingers continue to draw on my skin.

I pull back, meeting her eyes.

So sure, so honest and open and infinite.

My baby.

My Beauty.

I smash my lips into hers and she slides her hands into my hair, smiling against my lips.

“I think there’s a little girl waiting for you out there,” she says when it takes me two seconds to get lost in her all over again.

“No, baby,” I whisper, kissing her lips quickly and pulling away, tugging her up onto her feet with me. I push her hair from her face. “She’s waiting for us.”

She inhales deeply, nodding.

“But first, pajamas.”

She laughs, moving to her drawers while I grab a towel to wrap around my waist and move for my room.

As I reach for the handle, I glance back at her, and her eyes are already on mine.

“In case you weren’t sure, or had any doubt, don’t,” I tell her, opening the door. “I love you with all that I am, and I’ll never stop.”

Tears fill her eyes and she nods. “See you in five, Cap.”

“In two, Beauty.”

She laughs, turning away as I head to my room to get dressed.

The second I step back in the hall, Zoey and Royce step off the stairs.

She runs past, spotting Victoria right as she comes out of hers while Royce pauses beside me.

He holds up the popcorn and thermos full of what I’m sure is hot chocolate, a pack of foam cups hanging from his mouth.

I laugh, yanking it from his teeth and he grins.

“What do you say, brother?” He nods his chin.

My smile is soft, and I nod, hitting his back and he grins, walking ahead of me, following the girls into the media room.

Victoria grabs the remotes while Royce sets the items on the table and begins pouring small cups.

I drop onto the couch and Zoey climbs up beside me, Royce lowering beside her while Victoria moves over to my free side.

The moment she gets the TV on, Maddoc and Raven walk in, hand in hand.

I look to Maddoc who shrugs, and the two walk around, sitting beside Victoria.

Raven bumps her in the shoulder and she laughs, glancing her way.

Royce smiles around the room and leans forward, pouring a couple more cups.

“Got one more?”

All eyes snap to the doorway when our dad speaks.