Later, they emerged from the bed for a heroic expedition to the kitchen. Gunner's appetite had returned with a vengeance and he was absolutely starving.
"Jesus, I could eat the crotch out of a rag doll." Gunner mumbled into Kenzie's hair as she threw together ingredients for pancakes, his arms tightening around her waist.
"Wh-what?!" Kenzie sputtered, snorting with laughter, turning in Gunner's arms. "What the hell does that even mean?"
Gunner shrugged, laughing himself. "Heard it in a movie somewhere, seemed appropriate."
Kenzie rolled her eyes, turned back to the pancake batter, shaking her head. "Big monkey."
Grinning, Gunner slapped Kenzie's ass, earning a squeal. "Hurry up, woman! I'm dyin' here!"
"Here!" Kenzie thrust a package of bacon at him, "Make yourself useful then!"
Chuckling to himself, over the moon at this twisted picture of domestic bliss, Gunner grabbed a frying pan.
As they ate, sitting on stools at the counter; Kenzie looked up, unsmiling and met Gunner's eyes. He raised his eyebrows questioningly at her serious gaze. "I'm listing my house for sale soon. I've already bought a new place and I take possession next week."
Gunner's heart stopped. After everything that they had gone through, now that they were finally to together again, Kenzie was moving? Trying to keep his voice level, he asked. "Where are you moving to?"
Kenzie smiled. "About a mile down the road, you know that dark grey house, with the white trim and huge verandah?"
Exhaling with relief, Gunner smiled. "The Kenners? They just listed last week, that's fast."
"Yeah, they were motivated sellers. He got transferred to New York, apparently, they're buying on the same street I lived on."
"Wow, full circle then, huh?" Gunner mused. Then, "but you love your house, you've put so much work into it already."
Kenzie shook her head, "The energy in there's changed. The guys did an amazing job cleaning up and repairing everything after Brazil, but I can still see where Saulter threw me into the wall, and all the windows that got shattered...and where the blood stained...It's not the same for me anymore."
Gunner nodded, understanding. After a few minutes, he spoke. "I want to go in on the house with you."
Kenzie frowned, "Gunner, you don't need to do that, I can afford it."
"It's not that...we're getting married. We're going to share our lives now, and I'd like to share this with you too. Call me old-fashioned."
After a pause, Kenzie nodded, then smiled widely. "Alright, old-fashioned."
Gunner smiled back, reaching out and taking Kenzie's hand. He gave it a brief squeeze then returned to his breakfast, grinning up at Kenzie when she playfully bumped him with her foot as he stuffed too much pancake in his mouth at once and chewed noisily for her benefit.
Gunner waited until Kenzie had finished her plate before sliding it away from her and capturing her mouth in a possessive kiss. They had three months to make up for and Gunner was itching to attack that deficit. Lifting her up onto the counter, Gunner yanked away her underwear and pulled Kenzie towards him with a growl.
"Hey, where's the romance, caveman?" Kenzie grinned, sliding her hands up the back of Gunner's arms.
"Romance later, sex now." Gunner rumbled, plunging inside Kenzie with a groan.
From the kitchen, they moved to the shower, staying inside long enough to use all the hot water, before finding themselves in bed again, where they stayed for the next two days; making love, having rough, quick sex, cuddling and sleeping, making up for lost time, leaving only when necessary. Turk wandered into the bedroom at one point with Ruger at his heels, but with almost human expressions of 'whoa' , they left again quickly.
Friday afternoon found Gunner on his back, Kenzie curled beside him, trailing lazy circles across his chest as Gunner stroked up and down her spine.
"Feel like some fresh air?" Gunner asked, eyes following a shadow on the ceiling.
"Mmmm." Kenzie answered, burying her face against Gunner's skin.
Reaching over to the bedside table, Gunner grabbed his cell phone and held it out for Kenzie. Raising her head, she took it. On the screen was a text from Lee: What the fuck? Are you two still messing around? Get the hell off my sister and come on down to Tool's tonight. Booze and cards.
Kenzie snorted, "He has such a way with words."
"Your brother's a true poet." Gunner agreed, "what do you say, want to?"
"Yeah, okay. See if anyone notices the rock." Kenzie glanced at her bedside table. She retired the ring there earlier after cutting Gunner's side with it during one of their wilder moments.
"As long as it draws attention away from that hickey." Gunner grinned, fingering the dark bruise he'd left on Kenzie's neck.
"Yeah, thanks for that, by the way." Kenzie drawled.
"Anytime baby, now get over here." Gunner pulled Kenzie up to straddle him, groaning in satisfaction as she lowered herself down on him and began to rock her hips.
The entire team had turned out tonight at Tool's, laughter spilling out the open door as Kenzie and Gunner pulled up in his truck. Kenzie's hand drifted teasingly over as they stopped, and Gunner turned his head and bared his teeth. "Behave yourself." He growled, "Or you'll be punished severely."
"You promise?" Kenzie laughed.
"Cross my heart." Gunner grinned.
"Hey! Welcome back to the land of the living!" Caesar bellowed as Kenzie and Gunner walked through the door, Gunner's hands resting on Kenzie's shoulders.
The team yelled out greetings, holding up beer bottles; or in Doc, Lee and Tool's case, knives as they stood in front of the sugar skull, comparing marks.
Lee jogged over, grabbed Kenzie in a big bear hug. "Hey, Squeak. Long time!"
"Nice text, doofus."
Lee grinned goofily and fist-bumped Gunner. Toll and Caesar had wandered over by now and Caesar grinned. "You ain't bowlegged yet, Kenz."
"Oh, get bent! Y'all are worse than a bunch of old ladies!"
Toll and Caesar grinned, high-fiving.
"OH MY GOD!" Lacy screamed, dashing from across the room where she'd been talking with Luna and Thorn, causing more than one Expendable to startle and grab for their weapons.
"Jesus, Lace, what the - " Lee exclaimed.
"Your finger! A ring! Oh my god, girl!" Lacy continued, nearly slamming into Kenzie in her excitement. Wisely, Gunner and Lee took a large step sideways out of the way.
Grabbing Kenzie's hand, practically jumping up and down, Lacy continued to squeal. She threw her arms around Kenzie, sounding to Gunner like a teakettle, before letting go of her and grabbing Gunner, who eyed his soon to be sister-in-law like she was a live grenade, awkwardly patted her shoulder.
"Thanks, Lace." Gunner mumbled.
Understanding what the fuss was about now, the team surrounded Gunner and Kenzie, hugging Kenzie, fist bumping and one-arm hugging Gunner, congratulating the new couple.
"About bloody time too." Lee grumbled good naturedly, grabbing Gunner in a brief headlock before embracing Kenzie and kissing her cheek. "Congratulations, Squeak. Gunner, may you one day deserve my little sister."
The team hooted and jeered, laughing as they returned to the informal circle they'd been sitting in, some in chairs, others sitting or leaning on bikes. Lee sat at the card table, Doc, Toll and Barney following; and waved Gunner over.
Tool came over and hugged Kenzie tightly. "Congratulations, babygirl." He whispered, eyes shiny.
"Tool?!" Kenzie exclaimed, "why are you crying?"
"Oh, I'm just so happy, honey. It's been a rough few months for you two, it's good to see that's all in the past."
"You're an old softy, Tool."
"And you're like a daughter to me, sweetheart."
"That mean's Gunner'll be your son."
"Oh Christ, don't remind me." Tool rolled his eyes, then winked at Kenzie and pecked her cheek. "It's good to see you tonight, honey. I've missed you at these get-togethers. The guys are getting too cocky at pool, they need you to teach them a lesson tonight."
"I don't know, it's been awhile, think I'll just have a drink."
"That works too." Tool laughed, then turned around. "Doc! One more time, I'm feeling very accurate right now!"
Smiling, Kenzie made the rounds, showing off the ring when asked, accepting more congratulations and catching up with everyone, surprised to realize just how much she'd missed these parties; where the team got to let loose and just have fun, act like the big family they were. Eventually, Kenzie made her way over to the card table, where she was amused to see that instead of beer, the guys had started in on the rum, a wicked mix called The Kraken that was one of Kenzie's personal favourites with ginger ale. She eyed Gunner interestedly, rum always turned him into a big goof, stumbling and laughing at the smallest things. The last time he and Toll had gotten into rum, Kenzie, Barney and Caesar had just been able to head them off before they tore out of the shop to go streaking, Gunner with nothing but one of Tool's cowboy hats on his head and Toll with nothing but a smile.
Seeing Kenzie beside him, Gunner grinned toothily up at her.
"You feeling alright?" Kenzie grinned, already working out the logistics in her head of how she was going to wrangle his giant ass back to the cottage later, with Gunner no doubt caterwauling show tunes or god knows what else like that time earlier this summer after Caesar's birthday party. He could do a surprisingly good 'It's Raining Men', inspired no doubt by Caesar and Toll's tumble off the karaoke stage at the bar during the team's spirited rendition of 'Bad Company'. It had been a hell of a night.
"Never better, sugar-ass." Gunner drawled, slapping said ass.
Rolling her eyes, Kenzie moved over to Tool and Barney's table, pulled up a chair.
"Sugar-ass." Barney snickered.
"I'm going to need your help stuffing his ass into the truck later." Kenzie reminded him.
Sobering, Barney nodded. "Better cut him off now."