The Existence of Reconcilable Differences

Chapter Seventeen

Dani chewed on the decadent flavored, blueberry pancakes, and Gunner couldn't help but admire the clenching of her jaw.

"That's the only thing I missed about you: your blueberry pancakes." The garbled tones drifted out of her mouth and he somehow easily made it out as words.

"That's all you missed? Not me?" He questioned while placing tiny, honeyed kisses on her neck that traveled just below her earlobe.

"Well, you're just beginning to give me more reasons." Dani gave up on eating and fell to his lips.

"I love you." Gunner declared, in between zealous kisses.

"I know."

"I'm in love with you..." Dani froze like water tossed out into a blizzard.

"...You're, what?" She stammered.

"I'm in love with you. You're surprised. Why?"

"Loving me is one thing. Being in love with me is another story... I just didn't think you–"

"What? That I could fall in love with you?" He interjected with disappointed brows. Dani lost their connection like a dropped call.

"Why? Why would you think that?"

"Gunner, you know why."

Gunner acknowledged the constriction of their relationship. And so, he was about to do something insane, something he didn't expect himself to do.

As he canoodled the ring in his gray pajama pants, the pressure began to rise as the silence swelled intensely. Dani peered at the scrambled eggs. As he pulled out the ring, his phone blasted off with Devin's ringtone, interpolating his moment of escalation.

He answered out of reflex and released his grip on the ring.

"Yeah." Voice grumbling.

"I'm heading to the cabin now." A rush of uneasiness flowed through his body as he jolted out of his chair causing Dani to catch wind of concern.

"Wait, what? How'd-how'd you know I was here?" He stammered.

"You mentioned it last week - It's important. It's about Joshua. See you in 10 ." Devin hung up, leaving Gunner in disarray. He knew he shouldn't have mentioned anything to Devin. He fucked up.

"What happened?" Dani came to his side.

"Devin. He said he'll be here in 10 minutes." Gunner gaped out into space, trying to absorb the situation. They couldn't catch a break. Eyes captured into each other's, Dani knew exactly what he had been asking of her.

"... oh, I almost forgot the hiding game is on a loop." Dani stormed off with her robe flapping behind her.

"Dani! Dani!" He called while trying to keep up with her speeding legs.

"Leave me alone." She objected all the while walking to the master bedroom.

"Dani, baby, please stop." Gunner jumped in front of her, arms stretched to hold her; she stepped back with her hands up, treating him like a plague.

"Don't touch me... don't. That's exactly why I need to stop having my emotions involved. So I won't be disappointed. Besides, it was just fucking, right?"

"Just fucking? Just fucking... Dani, I made love to you every second! This isn't easy for me! You know this."

Gunner continued, "Baby, you have to understand– " He begged.

"No. I understand perfectly. This is our relationship. Nothing more, but a lot less. Get outta my way." She commanded and shoved the master bedroom doors open, nearly knocking off the antiques from the dresser.

He gloomily breathed her name.

Placing an extended amount of despair in his bones, Dani gave him the glare of death and clobbered the door shut.