A/N: Hope you all liked that last chapter!

Just after five Kenzie opened Gunner's door. "Gunner?"

"Hey baby." He called, emerging from the bedroom, freshly showered, zipping up his jeans, chest bare.

Kenzie stepped in and they met. "Mmmm, wish I'd gotten here about ten minutes sooner." Kenzie grinned, leaning forward to kiss Gunner's chest. Gunner bent and pressed his lips to the top of Kenzie's head, hands sliding up her arms to cup her cheeks. Tilting her head back, Gunner kissed her slowly and softly before pulling back. Kenzie set down the small duffel and grocery bags she was carrying. She glanced down at Ruger, patiently waiting by her side.

"Give me a few minutes to show him his perimeter. His bed's in the Landcruiser." Kenzie snapped a leash to Ruger's collar and led him out the door.

Gunner retrieved the bed, lay it in the living room and was busy unpacking the groceries Kenzie'd bought when they returned. Sending Ruger to his bed, Kenzie met Gunner in the kitchen.

"What do you want to eat?" She asked.

Gunner grabbed her hips, pulled Kenzie against him. "You know what I want to eat."

"I mean for dinner." Kenzie grinned, rolling her eyes.

"How about Chang's? They deliver."

"Sounds good." Kenzie replied. Gunner reached for the phone.

"Be here in about 30 minutes." Gunner said, hanging up. Kenzie had sat down on the couch, so Gunner wandered over and sat beside her, capturing Kenzie's feet and pulling them into his lap, he began to massage the arches.

"Half-hour, huh?" Kenzie mused. She eyed Gunner speculatively.

"What?" Gunner asked, grinning uncertainly.

Kenzie slid off the couch and onto her knees between Gunner's legs. He raised his eyebrow, grin widening as Kenzie gently forced his legs farther apart and reached for his zipper. Holding Gunner's gaze, biting her lower lip, Kenzie slowly lowered the zipper. Gunner scooted his hips forward, his eyes darkening with desire. Reaching into his jeans Kenzie stroked him then gently pulled Gunner's cock free. With a moan, Gunner leaned back, his hand curled into Kenzie's hair as she took him in her mouth.

Although Kenzie had been, by her own admission, inexperienced with sex when she'd met Gunner, she nonetheless had the amazing ability to make his toes curl. It had been months since Kenzie had gone down on Gunner, and she could have finished him in seconds if she'd wanted, but Kenzie prolonged the ecstasy. Every time Gunner got close, Kenzie would slow her skilful tongue and hands down, waiting a few beats before building his excitement again. Several times Kenzie teased Gunner right to the edge then lowered him back down again, until he was shuddering, one hand curled tightly in Kenzie's hair, the other clenching spasmodically on his thigh.

"Jesus, baby, I - " Gunner groaned as Kenzie scraped her teeth gently just below the head.

With her own moan of pleasure, turned on by the sounds Gunner was making, Kenzie dispensed with the pleasantries and got down to business, intent now on giving Gunner the most intense orgasm he'd had in a long time.

Swirling her tongue while stroking with her hand, Kenzie sucked hard one last time, drawing the head of Gunner's cock deep into her mouth and Gunner exploded. Arching back, he roared, his entire body shuddering. Kenzie held his thighs down with one forearm and sucked at him, milking every last sensation as he spilled into her mouth, drawing out his orgasm as long as she could. Finally, Gunner collapsed, panting heavily and Kenzie met his eyes knowingly, gently pulling his still pulsing cock free of her mouth and swallowing. She grinned as Gunner groaned her name, almost incoherent. Kenzie climbed back up on the couch and curled up close to Gunner, who, panting, wrapped an arm around her with a satisfied groan.

"Fuck, baby, that..." Gunner mumbled, encircling Kenzie with his other arm and burying his head in her hair. Utterly spent, he collapsed, snuggled up close.

Kenzie nibbled gently at his ear, murmuring suggestively on how Gunner could return the favour.

"Mmmm?" Gunner murmured back, moving a hand to gently caress her breast, his other hand moving south. Ruger growled, gave a short low bark and Gunner pulled away. They both turned their heads, saw the Chang's delivery man walking to the front door.

Disentangling herself, Kenzie leapt to her feet, "I got it. Pull yourself together, soldier!" Kenzie grinned, pointing at Gunner's still exposed cock. With a giggle, she skipped to the door.

Gunner collapsed back, still breathing hard, still coming back to Earth after experiencing perhaps the most intense orgasm of his life. He could easily fall asleep right now, but grinned, realizing that he was now hungry.

"Soup's hot, big man." Kenzie called from the kitchen.

Making sure he was now all tucked in, Gunner padded softly into the kitchen. Kenzie already had the beef and broccoli carton in her hands, sitting on the counter, chopsticks busy. Grabbing a carton and a set of chopsticks, Gunner leaned against the counter beside Kenzie. Kenzie offered a bite of hers, holding the chopsticks above Gunner's head and he obediently tilted his head back and opened his mouth. Still chewing, he offered a bite of his to Kenzie, darting the chopsticks right and left of her mouth a few times teasingly until she giggled and bumped him with her knee.

After eating their fill, exchanging cartons and teasing each other with dangled bites, Gunner gently took Kenzie's waist in his hands and pulled her towards the deck.

"Let's go lay on the hammock awhile." He murmured in her ear.

Stretching out in the hammock, Gunner opened his arms, wrapping them around Kenzie as she lay down beside him, snuggling up close. Gunner pushed off the deck with one foot, setting them gently swaying.

They relaxed in each other's arms, comfortably silent until Kenzie found herself drifting off, lulled by Gunner's warmth and heartbeat. Kenzie hardly noticed when Gunner shifted slightly.

"Mackenzie?" Gunner whispered softly, a tone in his voice that Kenzie had never heard before.

"Mmmm?" Kenzie murmured. She opened her eyes, wondering why Gunner was using her full name and found herself looking at an open ring box held in Gunner's hand.

Shocked, Kenzie lifted her head, stared at Gunner. "Oh my god, Gunner." She breathed.

Smiling, somewhat uncertainly, Gunner spoke. "Kenzie, I love you. You are my everything and without you, nothing matters. I will give you everything you've ever wanted and love you forever. I've missed you so much and I can't be separated from you again, it would kill me...will you marry me?"

Tears filling her eyes and spilling down her cheeks, Kenzie nodded. "Yes, Gunner."

A huge smile breaking out on his face, Gunner gently grasped the back of Kenzie's head, pulled her down for a kiss, eyes shining. They kissed deeply, murmuring tenderly together as their lips parted. "I love you."

Hesitantly, Kenzie plucked the ring from the box and gently, Gunner took it from her and slid it onto her finger. "Hold it up, tilt it, look into the diamond." Gunner whispered.

Kenzie did, then gasped. "Oh my god, Gunner! A dragonfly! I love it!" Cupping his cheek, she kissed him, their lips melding together.

Their clothes came off slowly, but soon they were one, moving in the rising moonlight. They made love slowly, murmuring softly, the hammock still swaying. Some time later, they moved to bed, continued to twine sinuously together, kissing and tasting and worshipping, Kenzie moaning at each of Gunner's slow thrusts.

Finally spent, they collapsed together, breathing hard. Kenzie snuggled into Gunner's chest and was asleep almost instantly. Gunner lingered, contemplating the woman in his arms. He'd waiting his whole life for her, would kill and die for her a thousand times over, and she had just agreed to marry him. Smiling, he closed his eyes.


Gunner woke first the next morning, Kenzie still asleep in his arms. The events of the previous evening came rushing back and he tightened his arms around Kenzie, leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Kenzie stirred, waking up and yawned, stretching luxuriously. Gunner trailed his hand down her bare spine as she straightened beside him then settled back down on his chest.

"Good morning, baby." Gunner murmured, pulling her free hand up to his lips to kiss.

"Ummm, good morning. Was it a dream?"

"Was what a dream?"

Kenzie lifted her left hand up in front of her face, blinked and focussed on her fourth finger. Raising her head, she turned to look at Gunner and flashed him a full-on smile. "Nope, it wasn't a dream."

"You could have said yes though." Gunner said soberly, then roared with laughter at Kenzie's puzzled expression.

"I did." Kenzie mumbled, confused. Realization dawned as Gunner laughed and she rose up on her elbow indignantly, pinching his left pec. "Big monkey." She grumbled, then flicked his nose as he continued to howl.

Gunner's laughter died in his throat as Kenzie, with a wicked smile, dropped her hand down, slid underneath the blankets and began stroking him. He purred deep in his throat, relaxing, all laughter gone, the blood racing south.

Certain she now had his attention, Kenzie fixed Gunner with a dark look. "That's all you get." She proclaimed, withdrawing her hand, the blanket tenting. Turning, she made to climb out of the bed.

"You get back here!" Gunner grinned, pulling Kenzie down underneath him, rolling to lay on top of her.

Kenzie mock-scowled, playing hard to get. She struggled briefly underneath him for show and Gunner pinned her arms on either side of her head, nudging her legs apart with his knees. Gunner had worried that Kenzie's horrible experience in Brazil would permanently wreck this game they liked to play on occasion, where Kenzie played hard to get and Gunner got to 'take' her. He was elated and more than a little relieved to discover that Kenzie still wanted to play it. Nothing proved her recovery from Brazil more than this, where Kenzie knew that she could trust Gunner, that she was 100% safe with him, no matter what.

Kenzie challenged Gunner with her eyes, then grinned. "Do your worst, you heathen."

"Take this, wench." Gunner grinned back, plunging inside Kenzie, burying himself deep with a groan.