Turn and Burn

Chapter 10

The thunder boomed from above your head shaking the infrastructure you were sheltered in. You loved a good thunderstorm. You thrived in the chaotic energy of the rain. You lit one of the many candles you had around your house breathing in the ambience you set. You hummed softly to yourself as you picked up a few items in your kitchen to have a clean house to go to bed to. Another louder boom of thunder. Damn the storm was impressive tonight. Roosters sweatshirt laid on the couch tempting you to put it on. It was so warm and it felt like home. Though by now it smelt of your perfume you remembered how it felt when it wrapped you with his cologne when he was gone. You bent down and grabbed the grey material in your hands. "Duchess." His voice flashed in your ears causing you to turn around thinking he was really there. Maybe there was too much wine in your glass. Maybe it was the weather playing with you. The branches scratched your windows making you look outside. The outline of the Bronco filled your eyesight. "What?" You said to yourself. You went to the front door and opened it. There Rooster stood sopping wet.

He was breathing heavily, "I've been standing here for the last hour debating how to do this." He started to say. You stood there stunned. "You are the most infuriating person I've ever met in my life. You challenge me when I don't want to be challenged. You never shut up. You always have some smart ass thing to say to me, not to mention the temper you posses yourself. You are also beautiful, brave, relentless and an incredibly skilled pilot." He finished looking out of breath.

Your mouth hung open, "did you come here to insult me?" You asked him. He shook his head and looked as if he were going to speak again. "No no." You silenced him. He backed away from you and groaned loudly looking to the sky for an answer. "My turn." You simply stated. You cleared your throat, "Bradley Bradshaw you are sometimes unbelievably arrogant, you are so irritating I can't stand you most of the time. You're full of anger just waiting to be unleashed! You're jealous and can be spiteful. You fucking snore so loud Bradley. So loud." Rooster laughed. "But you're so gentle, kind and loving. You know me better than I know myself! And" you sighed, "you're one hell of a pilot. And all of that means I love you too." You admitted.

He didn't miss a beat, Rooster licked his lips. "Now let me in my damn house." He growled. Your breath caught. You stepped aside and let his wet figure pass through. He dropped his bag next to you.

"What took you so long?" You asked breathlessly as you stood staring at him. He grabbed the sides of your face and pushed his lips onto yours.

"I had to make sure you'd let me in." He explained in between kisses. He began to shake from being cold and wet.

"I need to get you out of those clothes and warm you up." You told him. He picked you up and you wrapped your legs around his waist. You began to kiss him again as he walked expertly through the halls he remembered so well. He switched the light on in the bathroom and you stood on the side of the shower turning the water to hot. He began to take off his sopping wet clothes and you stripped your body only coming together to kiss momentarily. In no time you were under the shower head as he held you against the shower wall. You gasped and inhaled at the same time when he pushed into you. It was what you were waiting for all this time. All your ups. All your downs. Every last memory of being together flashed behind your eyes. You opened your eyes recovering and looked him in the eyes. "Don't you ever leave again." You warned him. "I mean it Rooster don't do that to me again." He just shook his agreeing with you.

"Put on the ring." He demanded softly. Your heart beat faster than humanly possible. You left the shower wrapped in a towel. Rooster turned the water off and wrapped a towel around his waist. You returned with the ring in your shaking hands. He removed it from the chain and gave it a kiss. Then he looked you in the eyes as he got down on one knee.

"Duchess, marry me. There isn't another human on the planet I'd rather go through life with. Let me make you my wife." He asked of you. He was so vulnerable as he stared at you waiting for an answer. Part of you wanted to tell him no just to have one last playful moment but you couldn't toy with his head like that.

Instead you said, "Yes" in a near whisper. He placed the ring on your finger, "Fuck yes!" You screamed. You examined your left hand, "I'm never going to get over this feeling!" You laughed happily. "This worked out better than you planned huh?" You asked him.

He took a moment before nodding his head rapidly, "yeah something like that." He chuckled.

"Hey guys!" You greeted your friends as you walked up to the pool house. You held onto Roosters hand feeling like you finally regained the missing part of you.

"Guys they're holding hands....is it safe to say?" Coyote began to ask. You took your hand out of Bradley's grasp and casually hid behind it.

"Wait! What is that? Is that what I think it is!" Maria gasped. She grabbed your hand and stared at it mouth agape. "Oh my god!" She squealed as she pulled you in for a hug.

"You finally did it!" Jake called him on the shoulder, "we're proud of you man." He told him genuinely.

"That means shots on the groom to be!" Payback suggested. Rooster rolled his eyes.

"Fine but only because I'm in a good mood." He agreed with you pulling him behind you into the pool house. Rooster wrapped his arms around you and held you close to his body as you waited for a drink at the bar. "You are incredible." He whispered into your ear causing you to smile. Your body surged at his words.

"Why am I more attracted to you since we became engaged?" You wondered out loud.

He laughed at you softly, "because you're looking at your husband now." He told you confidently. He had turned into a whole new person after you said yes. His confidence could rival Hangman's and it was something you liked a whole lot. He was proud to call you his and you wanted to keep him proud until the very end.

That night you laid in his arms listening to his steady heartbeat. He had his eyes closed as you ran your fingers over his bare chest. "When do you want to get married?" You asked him and he thought about it.

"As soon as possible..do you want a big wedding?" countered back you you.

"No I just need a white dress, the beach and our friends. I'd marry you tomorrow Bradley." You admitted to him. He smiled contently at that answer.

"I think I can arrange that." He smirked. Your heart began to race.

"You are an absolute dream Bradshaw." You dreamily complimented him. "We should start looking for a bigger house." You suggested.

"Mm." He answered back softly. It was quiet for a moment before he spoke, "Would you be mad at me if I told you I already found one?" He asked. You sat up on your elbow and looked at him in total surprise. He opened his eyes and stared at you unsure of what facial expression to expect out of you.

"Tell me more!" You demanded excitedly.

"Well, it's right next to Mav and Penny. We close on it in two weeks." He told you.

"When were you going to tell me?! Can I see it?" You asked your questions like rapid fire.

"I'll take you there tomorrow." He promised kissing the top of your hand.

"You've been planning this for a long time haven't you?" You asked him seriously.

"I always knew we would be together. I've been searching for a few weeks now Duchess. You're the only one for me even if I had to live in that house all alone until you joined me there. I knew that was our house when I saw it." He told you in between small kisses to your collarbone.

"I wonder what Goose would say now" you dreamed as you laid on his chest.

"He'd say son, you found a one in a million girl. Don't screw it up." You chuckled softly.

"Sounds about right Rooster." You softly agreed as he held you closer. You smiled lying in the arms that would hold you forever. "Sounds about right." You smiled to yourself.