Smokin Gun

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Brantley's POV

I leaned back against the side of the tub in our room and smiled as Stephanie settled her back against my chest. She let out a happy sigh and I wrapped my arms around her tighter enjoying the feel of the warm water around us and her soft skin pressed to mine. She arched one foot to softly slide it up and down my leg and I had to bite my lip.

We had gone to eat at an out of the way Italian restaurant in the French Quarter Caroline had told me about. She had looked so damn beautiful in the soft candlelight I had hardly been able to pay attention to much else. Though I had growled at the waiter for checking out her legs earning me a kick under the table from my wife. Id smirked at her as the guy turned a little pale when I glared at him. Fucking right she looked hot in that dress and those shoes buddy, but she was all mine.

We had needed this more than I think either of us had realized. Yea, we spent time together, but it now was fit in between my schedule and Carson. I lifted her left hand up and placed a soft kiss over her rings making her turn her head slightly and smile.

"Babe," she asked giving me a questioning look. "Were you serious about already having my ring?"

"Yes honey," I said giving her a wink. "I was serious. I bought it about a year before I ever popped the question."

Stephanie turned around and faced me draping her arms around my neck and looked me dead in the eye.

"Bullshit," she muttered running her fingers over my hair making me groan as I gripped her hips in my hands pulling her closer.

"Serious as a heart attack honey," I murmured leaning forward to place soft kisses on the curve her neck. "Don't believe me? Ask PJ. He was with me."
I knew I had fucked up when her fingers stopped tracing circles on the back of my neck and moved up to grip my ears in both hands. She tugged up making me look at her. I gulped at the fierce look in her blue eyes.

"Brantley Keith," she growled staring me down. "If that was the case then why in the fucking hell did you demand I marry you instead of asking the first time. As you saw, caveman was not the way to go on that jackass. And how in the hell did you hide something like that from me for a year?"

I looked down then peeked an eye up at her and gave her a pitiful look.

"Umm.....because I am a dumbass," I muttered. She snarled and tightened grip on my ear. "Fucking hell baby that hurts."

"Being a dumbass that day is obvious," she muttered dropping her hands and sliding off my lap and putting her back against the opposite side of the tub.

Dammit, so not how I pictured this night going. Way to go BG, stick you damn big ass foot in your mouth, again, like usual. Damn woman knows you better than the back of her hand of course she didn't let that comment from yesterday go.

"Steph, honey," I said looking over at her glaring at me. I got lost for a second as I took in her flushed tan skin because of the hot water. Her long blonde hair was piled up in a messy bun with a few strands that had come loose. I could just make out the tops of her breasts in the water. I heard her snap her fingers to get my attention. I sighed and ran my hands over my face.

"I was scared sweetheart," I murmured and her face softened a little as I lifted my eyes to look at her.

"Why B?" she said shaking her head.

Dammit, we should have discussed this much sooner. But as soon as we settled our differences after finding out about Carson things just kind of fast tracked from there. I reached in the water to loop a hand around her ankle tugging her back over to me. I sat up slightly and pulled her in my arms resting one hand on her cheek the other in the middle of her back stroking it softly with my thumb.