Hunter

Chapter Twenty Six

"Well that was fun. You good?" He asked, with a smile.

Letting out a relieved sigh as she rested her head against the seat, Kenzie mustered a bright smile in return.

"I'm good. Just a little freaked out."

"I wasn't gonna let anything happen to you, girl." Austin said with an effortless wink. "But that guy was a bitch. Did you see the way he turned tail and practically ran once we got close. Means your gut feeling was spot on. People don't run when they have good intentions."

Austin's affirmation that she wasn't overreacting was comforting and she gave him a smile in return.

"So what's my surprise?" She ask excitedly, wanting to change the subject so she didn't have the opportunity to dwell on the anxiety that was creeping up her spine.

Please be something to eat. Preferably chocolate.

"Bravo team just landed. Thought you might want to go meet Hunter at the air strip with the rest of the girls." Austin said with a smile that was contagious.

The fact that Hunter was home on U.S. soil, alive and well was almost more than Kenzie could bear. She was overwhelmed with relief and joy, feeling her eyes brim with happy tears.

That's a thousand times better than chocolate.

Her smile spread from ear to ear and she had to close her eyes for a second to fight back the grateful tears that were threatening to fall.

"Everyone's okay?" She asked immediately.

"Not a scratch on em'"

Oh thank God. There's no better feeling than a safe return home.

"Did he ask for me?" Kenzie said brightly, but she could tell by Austin's quick change in expression that the answer was no.

"He uh, didn't ask specifically, but I'm sure he wants to see you." Austin stammered.

You assume he wants to see me, but he didn't ask to see me. Hunter is a man who knows what he wants and when he wants it. If he wanted me there, he would have asked me to come...actually he probably would have told me to come.

A wave of uncertainty washed over Kenzie, taking her excitement down a few notches as she wrapped her mind around the intensity of returning home after a mission or deployment. It was something she had a lot of experience with and something that was specific to each person. Some wanted a big welcome home and some needed to decompress alone before spending time with others.

"Maybe I should just wait for Hunter to come to me. I don't want to force myself on him or make him feel obligated to see me right away." Kenzie said in an unsure tone.

"Force yourself on him? But you're his girlfriend Kenz. He's gonna want to see you." Austin tried to sound reassuring, but Kenzie wasn't convinced.

He hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend. We haven't even talked about it really. I don't know what we are. We're something, but I just don't know what that something is yet.

"I don't know if...maybe you should just take me to his house to let Zeus out."

Austin's brows drew in and he studied Kenzie, letting out a hard breath before ultimately shrugging his shoulders and giving in.

"I'll take you anywhere you wanna go Kenzie."

I know where I want to go, but I don't know if he'll want me there. 

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Hunter ~