Smokin Gun

Chapter Twelve

Brantley's POV

I woke up the next morning to reach for Steph and grasped empty sheets. I sat up quickly and looked around franticly. I know that damn woman didn't. I glanced out the window as I headed towards the stairs in just my boxers. I could see the soft rain still falling. I was going to spank her ass if she got out in this mess. I made it to the bottom of the stairs and saw that Sylo was curled up on his bed chewing on a new bone and could smell coffee in the kitchen.

I sighed as I padded in the kitchen to fix a cup of coffee. She wouldn't have left without her shadow.  I smiled when I saw her keys still on the counter. Good, she hadn't gone too far. I took my coffee and headed out the glass doors to the deck. Sure enough, there she was curled up under a blanket on one of the chaise lounges she had just insisted I had to have.

She used them more than I did. She had on a BG Nation t-shirt I'd given her that she slept in. She was so absorbed in what she was looking at on her tablet she didn't know I was around until I leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

"Good morning," she said turning to look up at me. I pushed her forward gently and sat down behind her, stretching my legs out on either side of her. She lifted the blanket to drape it over both of us before leaning back against my chest.

"What you looking at sweetheart?" I asked as I took a sip of my coffee before sitting it on the table by us. I snatched her tablet out of her hands. I read the page she had been looking at and glared down at her.

"Steph, why in the hell are you checking out the new shark exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium?" I asked.

"Well, you a have a few weeks off. I thought it would be fun to go and do some stuff around here. Just spend time, me and you,"she said with a big smile on her face. "Babe, if you don't want to do that there's this really awesome snake exhibit at the Atlanta Zoo I have been dying to check out that Amie told me about. She and Scott went a few weeks ago."

"Umm. No, I don't think so. If you want to go somewhere before you start back to school honey I am all for it. I'll take you anywhere in the world you want to go. But I am not purposely going to see fucking sharks or snakes woman!" I said shuddering. She turned around to face me with a big grin on her face.

"But honey, I figured we could spend the time off conquering those pesky fears of yours," she drawled out grinning at me as she held up her left hand. Her engagement ring twinkling. "I mean we have gotten you over you're fear of commitment it seems since you popped the question."

I leaned down to put my nose even with hers, looking in her eyes trying to keep my laugh in.

"Well, two can play that game sweetheart. Let's go talk to that guy in Commerce that raises those tarantulas to sell. I mean we could always get you one as a pet to keep you company when I'm on the road before the baby is born," I said grinning down at her mischievously as she paled a little.

"If you want to go that route we could always get a python to go along with it, "she snapped back.

"To hell with that Steph. Remember that huge snake I killed while helping build your deck last summer," I shuttered remembering as it had crawled across the toe of the boot I had been wearing. Stephanie rolled her eyes at me and pushed my chest.

"Yes, I remember quite well ass. It was a three-foot grass snake that was as big around as my pinkie and you unloaded the whole clip of your Kimber into it while screaming like a girl! The neighbors called the cops because of gun shots. It's a good thing Chris was the deputy who came out. I do believe he is still laughing about it."

"Really smart ass, you remember that spider that crawled on your shoulder in the deer stand last hunting season?" I said quirking an eyebrow at her. She smacked me in the shoulder.