Page 44 of Bradi

Chapter Twenty-One

Marisa eyed Bradi. He seemed a bit pale to her. Following him through the doorway, she reached for him. “Are you sick? Did you get too much sun? I told Nina to take it easy on you.”

“You never do stop lecturing about one’s health, do you, Dr. Langston?”

Marisa’s heart thumped wildly in her chest. Had she just heard who she thought she did? Turning slowly, her gaze drifted first over a redheaded boy who looked even paler than Bradi—and then it fell on Peter.

She dropped the plant in her arms and stared at him for a moment, too shocked to move.

Christian came in behind her and stopped quickly. “Marisa, what’s wrong?”

“Peter?” she asked, reaching for him, unable to believe that he was not only alive, but standing in her living room.

He caught her hand in his and pulled her to him. His embrace was strong, passionate, overwhelming. Marisa’s lungs screamed for air, but her body refused to take a breath. This couldn’t be happening. His lung was punctured. She’d thought he was dead. And now there was Bradi and the baby.

Peter cupped her face and brought his lips down on hers hard and fast. Normally, a kiss from him could bring her to her knees, but now she wanted to push him off.

“Little doctor?” Christian’s voice brought her back to her senses and she ended the kiss with Peter.

Marisa touched Peter’s face lightly, still unable to believe her own eyes. “You’re alive.”

He kissed her fingertips and drew one seductively into his mouth. She heard Christian gasp and wondered what could be going through his and Bradi’s minds.

“Please,” Marisa said, pulling her hand back from Peter.

He looked her over and smiled. “I guess this planet agrees with you, Marisa. You’re glowing! I’ve never seen you look so beautiful.”

Did he know?

She glanced back at Bradi and found his jaw clenched tight and his eyes blazing. “Peter, I don’t know what to say. I thought that you were gone. We thought you were gone,” she added quickly, still looking at Bradi. His face didn’t change and she wanted to run to him and toss her arms around his large neck. She didn’t.

Peter touched her chin and directed her attention to him. “I wasn’t sure that you’d survived either, but I knew that I couldn’t stop looking for you, Marisa.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a scannable notepad. “I brought our engagement contract with me, so if they have a minister or a licensed uniter, we can make it official.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond. “Gods, I’ve dreamt of this moment. I’ve wanted to hold you in my arms and make love to you since we departed Earth. I can’t wait another minute.”

“Peter, I think that we should—”

He ignored her and looked at Bradi. “Who can we see about making this official? The sooner the better. I want to be buried so deep in my wife by the end of the night that this planet sends her off because she’s screaming too loud.”

“Peter!” Marisa shouted, shocked by his statement.

“You would need to speak with our Chieftain,” Bradi said coldly, never once revealing he was her husband now.

Was it shame that kept his tongue tied or was it something else? He’d married her. He’d said he loved her and made her love him in return. It couldn’t have all been a lie, could it? The very fact he seemed unwilling to stand up for her now made her inner fears seem more real by the second.

Peter clapped his hands and walked over to Bradi. “Great, take me to this guy and we’ll get the ceremony started. Oh, and I want you to be my best man, of course.”

“Of course,” drawled Bradi, his gaze hard and on her.

Marisa’s brow furrowed. “Bradi?”

Christian stepped forward and broke the tension in the room. “I may be of some assistance in locating the Chieftain. If you’d like, I will take you out in search of him.” He looked directly at her and tipped his head. She knew then that Christian had bought her and Bradi some time to talk and thanked him with a silent nod.

“Right this way,” Christian said, motioning to the front door.

Marisa waited until she was sure they were gone before moving toward Bradi. He jerked away quickly and glowered.

“I won’t hold you back, Doc.”

“What do you mean you won’t hold me back?” She glared at him. “And what the hell was all that about? You practically handed me to the man.”

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