Gunner (K19 Security Solutions 2)
Page 59
“When you’re as old as I am, you’ll need it.”
She shook her head. “I’m almost as old as you are now, and I don’t need it. Maybe you should consider my way is better.”
“What’s your way?”
“Sex. Followed by twenty minutes in your tub. We’ll repeat this four times. At least.”
“Yeah, your way sounds much better.”
“Better results too.”
—:—
“See? Much better,” Raketa said as she let her body rest against Gunner’s in the warm water.
He nuzzled her neck. “You taught me something.”
“No, you taught me this too. I have taught you nothing.”
“That isn’t true. I’ve learned a lot from you.”
“Give me one example.”
“I can give you more than one.”
She moved away from him and crossed her arms, waiting.
Gunner scrubbed his face with his hand. “This isn’t easy for me…” He grabbed her arm when she stood to get out of the tub. “Give me a sec here.”
Raketa sat on the edge and refolded her arms.
Gunner looked out the window, up at the ceiling, everywhere but at her.
“If you can’t—”
“I learned I could love someone, heart and soul, from you,” Gunner professed, standing in front of her in all his naked glory. “I also learned that I could smile and even laugh, without feeling like I was giving that soul away.”
Raketa slid back into the water, pulling him down with her, and wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I learned that the mission doesn’t always come first and that there are things in life worth taking a step back for. I learned that I would do anything to keep you safe. Anything. Including walking away from the only thing I’ve ever known how to do.”
“Anything else?”
“Good Lord, woman. Can you not be sympathetic to how hard it is for me to say shit like this?”
Raketa laughed. “I’m sorry. I would have an equal struggle. I do, in fact.”
“Yeah? You have some mushy, flowery, girly stuff you want to say to me?”
She laughed again. “No. Not at all.”
“So what’s your struggle?”
“There have been…things I’ve told you that were not easy for me to say.”
“I never believed
in shit like this.”