Gunn(Bayou Springs Alien Mail Order Brides #2)(27)

 

There was no telling.

 

After over fifteen hours of riding in the truck, Gunn finally pulled into the driveway of the big old house. Audrey, along with Zeke, Opal, and Echo piled out onto the wrap around porch to greet us.

 

 

 

        

          

        

         

 

I glanced in the review mirror at our silent passenger. "Welcome home."

 

She let out a small sound of acknowledgement as she smoothed her strawberry curls.

 

"That's Echo coming down the steps. He'll help you get settled." Because I was done trying to make nice with someone who would only grunt at me. "He's a really sweet guy," I added for good measure.

 

Gunn, who had just opened my door, held a hand out to me. "Careful now, I'll think you like my brother better than me."

 

I laughed. There was no way he thought any such thing. For most of the trip home, he'd kept his hand on my thigh, and had radiated barely-suppressed anticipation. Every time we'd stopped for gas or food, the minute Naomi disappeared into a restroom, he'd practically devoured me with kisses. And I'd been just as eager as he had. If we made it upstairs before we tore each other's clothes off it would be a goddamned miracle.

 

What could I say? We had eight years to catch up on.

 

"Whatever." Naomi pushed her door open and hopped out. With her messenger bag slung over her shoulder, she strode up to Echo and held her hand out, introducing herself. Echo smiled at her and said something that made her laugh. Then he held his arm out to her and escorted her into the house.

 

As I took Gunn's hand, I raised my eyebrows. "That was …  interesting."

 

He tugged me out of the truck. "Yep. I was starting to think that frown she wore was permanent."

 

I wrapped my arm around his waist, a feeling of pure contentment warming my heart. "I guess she just doesn't like us very much."

 

"Good thing neither of us have to pretend to be engaged to her."

 

I stopped just before we entered the house and turned to meet his humor-filled gaze. Smiling softly, I said, "Good thing, because I sorta have plans to marry someone else."

 

His expression turned serious as he stared at me intently. "Married?"

 

Gripping his shirt with one hand, I pulled him in closer and nodded.

 

He glanced down and gently took my left hand in his. Running his thumb over the onyx engagement ring on my left finger, he said, "I've wanted to hear those words for a very long time."

 

"I know," I said, barely able to breathe. His emotions were all over the place, happiness warring with trepidation, and fear masking his joy. We'd barely gotten back together. For me to be proposing marriage was nothing short of outrageous. But I'd known him my entire life and had always known he was the one. As a young adult, I hadn't been ready to be a part of an 'us.' I was now. And there was nothing that was going to tear me away from him this time.  

 

As he stared at me, searching my expression, all the barriers we'd put in place, the hesitation and fear, it all melted away. Warmth filled the empty crevices of my heart and soul, fortifying me. Fortifying us. For once in my life, I wasn't just content, I was happy.

 

"I love you, Kennedy," Gunn said, his voice low and full of emotion.

 

Tears filled my eyes. "I love you, too, Gunn."

 

He pulled me into his arms. Holding me tight, he tucked my head against his shoulder and whispered, "You know you're stuck with me now, right?"

 

I let out a strangled laugh. "Is that a yes?"

 

His laughter joined mine, and he released me. Once again taking my left hand, he lowered himself to one knee and grinned up at me.

 

Even though I could feel the love radiating from him, knew he felt the same way about me that I did him, my heart started to race. Was this really happening? Did he really want this?

 

"More than you know, K," he said, clearly reading my mind. "I want you. More than that, I need you. And if you were to try and leave me again, nothing would stop me from going after you."

 

"I'm not going anywhere," I said breathlessly.

 

"I know, and that's why I'm asking you, will you marry me?"

 

The tears that I'd been holding back, fell unabashedly down my cheeks as I nodded. "Yes."

 

"You're sure? Really sure?"

 

"Yes. Absolutely yes."

 

He rose, cupped my cheeks with both hands and kissed me. Love and passion and promise surrounded us, blocking out the rest of the world. He was mine and I was his.

 

Time seemed to stand still as we lost ourselves in each other. And when he finally broke away, we stood there on the porch of the only home I'd ever really known.