Chapter 80 CHAPTER EIGHTY.
Chapter 80 CHAPTER EIGHTY.
"I think I'm going to throw up." Will groaned.
"You've been saying that for the past hour, Will." Brianna laughed. "Just do it and get it over with."
The team was on their way back from a mission. It had been a long and tiring two weeks. They were all exhausted and looking forward to getting home.
"I can't believe the Admiral actually brought his entire family to meet you. Why? It's not like this is the first time you've been away on a mission."
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Will laughed when he saw the wide grin on Brianna's face. "This has never happened before." He shook his head in amazement. "That's a nice surprise."
"Yeah, nothing this crazy family does surprises me now." Brianna drawled. "I'm just surprised they brought my mother all the way from Delaware just to...welcome me from a mission?" Brianna couldn't deny it. She was surprised.
"Is today your birthday or something?" George asked.
"Interesting." He muttered when Brianna shook her head, no."
"They must have really missed you." Will laughed.
"Guys," Will addressed Ty and George, "I think y'all need to divorce your wives. 'Cause they clearly don't miss you very much when you..."
"Fuck off, Will." Ty punched Will on the shoulder as George laughed. "I'll be sure to tell Tanesha you said that."
"Aw come on, you want her to deny me food when I come to the house?" Will groaned as the other guys laughed.
"I need my phone." Ty muttered as the hatch opened for them to get out. "And guess what my first question to her is going to be..."
"Why the fuck haven't you ever come to meet me on the base?" Will drawled. The Arrowheads erupted into laughter as they got ready to get out of the aircraft.
Brianna looked shocked, excited, and dazed as she followed her colleagues to the exit. She couldn't wait to feel Julian's arms around her.
"Son, remember what I said." Michael Broody murmured to Julian. "Keep it clean. Nothing X-rated. There are high-ranking military personnel here. No need to embarrass Brianna." He said, completely oblivious to the fact that his son wasn't even listening to him. His eyes were glued to the military aircraft's opened hatch.
"Dad, everyone here knows what we're here to do." Dean muttered, startling Michael who didn't know he was standing right behind him. "Don't you think it would be rather...strange if Julian doesn't at least...cop a feel or something?"
"Oh, shut your mouth, Dean." Michael snapped. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to eavesdrop on other people's conversation?"
"No, she didn't." Dean drawled. "Maybe she forgot. Or maybe she doesn't know th.."
"There she is..." Julian breathed, cutting off Dean's words. "She's even more gorgeous than I remember."
"Err..she looks same to me." Michael said with all seriousness. "I think she's lost some weight but..."
"Shut up, Dad." Dean groaned, wondering why his mother wasn't manning her husband. With a sigh, he turned to look at his twin brother who looked as if he was in a trance. "Dude, what the fuck are you waiting for?" Dean smacked Julian upside the head.
"What?" Julian started.
"Go meet her halfway." Dean breathed, and then grinned when his brother began to move forward.
Julian felt himself trembling as he walked towards a grinning Brianna. The excitement within at seeing the woman he loved was simply overwhelming. But the exhilarating joy he felt within, for what he was about to do, was like nothing he'd ever felt in his entire thirty-one years of existence.
Julian didn't know who started running first. One moment they were both walking towards each other, the next, Brianna was dropping her backpack on the floor, and they were running. And when both finally got to each other, they hugged each other fiercely.
"Oh my god, I missed you." Julian moaned shakily. He honestly didn't know why he suddenly felt so emotional. He shook as he held on to Brianna as if he was never going to let her go.
"I missed you too, baby." Brianna's arms tightened around Julian when she felt the wetness on her neck, where Julian's face was buried.
The two held each other until Julian calmed down enough to step back. Brianna tenderly combed her fingers through Julian's hair as they gazed at each other with eyes that reflected their love for each other. And this time, Brianna made the move. She gently cupped Julian's face and gave him a sweet kiss. She'd wanted to keep it chaste...no tongue...but the roar that went up from the few military guys around and the Broody brothers gave her the urge to be bold. She kissed the hell out of Julian.
"That's what I'm talking about." Dean shouted, making the small crowd erupt into laughter.
The two finally came up for air when it became very necessary to breathe. "Is this how you're going to welcome me back from my missions from now on?" Brianna grinned as she wiped at Julian's lips.
"If you want me to, I will." Julian laughed breathlessly.
"I would love that." Brianna nodded. "Are you always going to bring everyone?"
Julian laughed. "No, baby. They just came to witness." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small beautiful wooden case with the inscription, 'Always- BJ & JB. "...this."
Brianna's eyes bulged when she read what was on the box. "Julian..." She felt her knees buckle so hard she feared she was going to fall. She reached out to hold Julian, to steady herself. "Is it..."
"Rings...our rings." Julian opened the box to reveal two expensive looking platinum rings. The beautifully designed bands looked elegant and strikingly timeless. They were just perfect. "Hey, you're not permitted to cry." Julian groaned as he watched Brianna's eyes well up.
"Soldiers don't cry whilst in uniform."
"Where did you hear that stupid rule?" Brianna laughed shakily as the tears finally spilled onto her cheeks. "They're beautiful." She whispered as Julian quickly reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Don't bother." Brianna muttered. "They’ll just keep coming."
"And I'll keep wiping them away." Julian whispered. "Alright, I need to do this right." He started to lower himself but paused and straightened up. "Would it bother you?" He asked quietly.
"If you don't go down on one knee and ask me the right way, I’ll say no, Julian Broody." Brianna growled, making Julian laugh.
"Your wish is my command, baby." Julian grinned as he went down on one knee and looked up at Brianna. "A year ago, I told you that my life was worth nothing without you. I meant it. I also said that when you're less fucked up, we'll make this legal. Tell me you're less fucked up."
Brianna burst into laughter as she went down on one knee before a grinning Julian. "I'm picturing myself in that Swing Sling in the playroom right now. Does that make me less fucked up?"
"That makes you mine." Julian laughed.
"Good. Let's make this legal."
Julian raised a hand and gave a thumbs-up sign. Shouts and applause immediately erupted all around them.
Brianna laughed excitedly as Julian closed the distance between their lips and kissed her.
"I love you, Brianna Jackson." Julian breathed when the kiss ended. "Always."
"And I love you, Julian Broody." Brianna gave her man a tremulous smile. "Always."
"By the way, this is happening next week." Julian drawled as they got back to their feet. "Everything has been arranged."
"Sure of yourself aren't you, you prick?" Brianna laughed as their families and colleagues started towards them.
"Once your prick, always your prick, baby." Julian shrugged. "Want us to wear these now or wait until next week?"
"How about we wear them just for today?" Brianna asked with a longing look at the box in Julian's hand.
"Hell, yeah." Julian laughed as he took out the ring that had inscribed in it, Always - JB to BJ, which was meant for Brianna and slipped it onto Brianna's finger. "Now, your turn."
"Always - BJ to JB." Brianna read out loud before slipping the ring on Julian's finger. "You've got taste, man. Dayum!" Brianna rasped as she stared at her ring.
"I know right." Julian grinned. "But I did get help." He confessed with mock reluctance. "Picked them with mum and Yolanda." Julian muttered just as everyone got to where they stood. "Never go shopping with those two women, together."
"Which two women?" Lucy asked as she hugged Brianna. "Was your husband-to-be talking about us?"
"Mum, it's not good to eavesdrop on other people's convers..."Dean started.
"Shut up, Dean Broody." Michael growled, making everyone burst into laughter.
The atmosphere was rife with joy and love as everyone congratulated the two. For Julian and Brianna, love didn't make the world go round. It rather made the ride worthwhile. And they had every intention of enjoying the hell out of that ride because not only did they trust in their love for each other, they knew that what they felt for each other was strong enough to stand the test of time.