Gunn(Bayou Springs Alien Mail Order Brides #2)(2)

 

I shrugged. "It's rough out there. The streets have had an effect on me."

 

His lips twitched as he draped an easy arm over my shoulders. "Then it's good you're home. One night with the Arnot boys and you'll once again be a marshmallow."

 

I raised a skeptical eyebrow. "When was I ever a marshmallow?"

 

"Oh, that's easy. Anytime Gunn turned those puppy dog eyes on you. One minute you'd be ordering us to get back to work and then Gunn-Kennedy?" He paused and stared down at me with concern in his eyes. "Are you all right?"

 

I nodded, but paused, sucking in a deep shaky breath. "Low blood sugar," I lied. At the mention of Gunn's name, everything inside me went haywire. Anticipation. Fear. Longing. My emotions welled up and nearly overflowed.

 

"Then let's get you inside and order you a space burger," he said easily, guiding me toward the door.

 

The desire to stop and dig my heels in was strong-almost irresistible. But I closed my eyes and envisioned a pleasant reunion    , one where Gunn would smile, welcome me home, and wrap me in his arms, much the same way Echo had. It could happen, right?

 

"Kennedy?" Echo asked.

 

I opened my eyes and turned to him, nearly wincing at the sympathy practically streaming off him.

 

"It's going to be okay. Gunn …  well, I'm sure he's going to be happy to see you." His tone wasn't even close to convincing.

 

I let out a sardonic laugh. "Right. Just like he's been pining away for me the last eight years, right, Echo?"

 

He averted his gaze.

 

"That's what I thought. Listen, it doesn't matter. I didn't come back to stake my claim. I'd be stupid to think he's been waiting for me."

 

He tilted his head to the side, contemplating me. "So, want to tell me why you're here now? If not for Gunn, then … ?"

 

"Audrey called," I said. "It's time."

 

 

 

        

          

        

         

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

Gunn

 

 

 

 

 

I pulled on the Turbo Booster tap and filled the mug, letting my gaze linger on the sweet curve of Theresa's exposed cleavage. How long had it been since I'd taken her out? A month? Six weeks? Too long, that was for sure.

 

"Hey, Gunn?" She strummed her white-tipped fingernails on the bar.

 

"Yeah?"

 

She held her hand up and pointed to her face. "Eyes up here, buddy. This isn't a peep show."

 

I cast one more glance at her assets and grinned, the cocky grin that frequently earned me a place in her bed. "That's just not fair." I slid the beer over to her, meeting her amused gaze. "You know that shirt drives me insane."

 

She let out a throaty laugh, flinging her hair over her shoulder. "Does this mean you're coming by after your shift?"

 

After my shift? Hell, I was ready to ditch the bar right then and there. After being forced to watch my brother Zeke and his girl Opal fail to keep their hands off each other for the past week, I was in desperate need of a little female companionship of my own. "How about I knock off early and we-"

 

"Sorry, sweetheart," Audrey said, suddenly appearing beside Theresa. "Gunn has plans this evening."

 

I narrowed my eyes at the tiny woman wearing skin-tight jeans and a leather vest. Her dark hair was swept up in a severe bun and her lips were pursed as she stared me down.

 

"Her?" Theresa said, incredulity in her tone. "She's old enough to be your mother!"

 

I jerked back, then laughed at the absurdity of Theresa's statement. Staring into her big blue eyes, I said, "Audrey is a friend of the family …  not my date."

 

"Well," she said puffing up a little. "That's good news, because you know how I feel about competition."

 

I ignored Theresa's possessive statement and turned to Audrey. "Did something come up?"

 

"You could say that." Audrey climbed up on one of the barstools. "Remember when I told you that your fiancée was coming?"

 

"Fiancée?" Theresa gasped as she stood and placed her hands on her hips.

 

I gave her a pained look and shook my head. Damned Audrey. She'd only mentioned the fiancée word to get rid of Theresa. It hadn't even been three weeks since I'd agreed to act as one of her clients of the Intergalactic Dating Agency-the organization that existed solely to help women secretly escape the clutches of Azurites. Being a Quartzian, I was a natural ally and hadn't thought twice about joining her cause. My hatred for the other alien race ran deep. That happened when everything they touched turned to shit.