What? Damn, she was crazy. As Jax looked at her with confused scepticism he shook his head. He wasn’t a child. Did she really think of him as a simpleton that needed her protection? Yet look at her, one steaming hot mess and he liked it. For some reason he could not explained he was drawn to the typhoon of cold winds and soft curves. It was her off centered look at things that made her more than just a lustful fine body. Jax wanted to figure her out. Thing is, he might drown in the process.

Take breath and dive.

“That doesn’t make sense. You just saw me toss it out the window. It was leant to me.” He ran his hand over his dreadlocks and turned to her. “There is a difference between being carefree and happy and being a child.” When he looked at her flashes of his anger at the possibility she judged him to need a mother came through. “I can take care of the shirt.” 

Was it the hangover or the idea that the woman he sat there for hours undressing and kissing in his mind thinks of him as some little boy, Jax started to let his anger take hold.

“Just as there is a difference between leading with coldness and leading with care. .” He looked away quickly sure that he had just said too much. “But what do I know,” He kept his head turned from her, “I just destroyed something that wasn’t mine.” Did he mean the start of something with her or the Captain's shirt?

He pushed himself off the floor and stood, “Damn.” he went to the door sure he should leave but he put his hand on the latch and turned back to her. “I was sure women shouldn’t be on a ship, until I spent some time with you. Now I don't want to sail without you.” Now that didn’t make much sense to Jax. Why did he tell her that?

“I will follow your commands not because you demand it, not because I need taken care of. But because you are good at what you do. You know you jobs and you hold a shit load of them. Someday maybe you'll realize you don’t have to hide so much to do what you do so well.”

Fuck. He might as well drown.

Quickly he moved from the door, leaned down to her, put his hand on her chin, lifted her head and kissed her. Just a kiss. No hard passionate press even though he wanted to. Jax could tread water before he sank. Just a press of his lips on hers wanted or not. He took a breath moved back to the door, opened it and walked out.

He was drowning.