Page 6 of The Fighter who Needed Me
Persephone stopped moving, her eyes wide. “Brooks, it is too fast. Are you seriously considering this? Truly? What will people say?”
Brooks stopped her questions with a quick kiss, “I care not for what others say. I never have. It will not start now because of this. It is not too soon for me. In fact. it is not soon enough in my opinion. I love you Persephone. I love you. You are the woman I have waited for my entire life through. The person I longed for in my cold and lonely existence. The one I hoped and prayed for when I slept on the streets. The one who kept me going. Because I knew you were out there somewhere. I cannot have you taken away from me now that I know there is warmth and light. I do not want to go back to my life where I only saw in shades of grey. Please, think about it. I want to do this not just to protect you, but because I love you. Because you and I both know, we are meant to be together.”
Her eyes were shining with tears, “Oh Brooks. I had no idea that you felt that way. I love you too. I will marry you. Because I feel the same. I have prayed for you too. Wished that there was someone out there who would see me. Love me for me. And I still cannot believe I found you.”
He kissed her softly, and she said, “But for now, can we keep it between us and whoever marries us?”
He nodded, “Of course.”
She tried to stand on tip toe, and he gave a slight chuckle. Then he leaned down and kissed her. “Is that what you wanted?”
She nodded, “You are so tall I cannot reach your mouth as much as I wish to.”
He smiled and took her mouth in a deeper kiss, licking along the seam of her mouth and when she parted her lips, he slipped his tongue inside, touching hers and making her gasp.
She wound her arms around his neck, and he lifted her slightly off the ground.
They kissed and kissed until Brooks pulled away, breathless. He put his forehead to hers, “I will speak with Cabe and ask him if he will marry us.”
She nodded and he walked her back to her cabin and left. Needing to see about their marriage.
He just hoped that when they got back, her parents would let her stay with him.
Sighing, he found Cabe at the wheel and he looked as studious as ever.
Cabe noticed him standing by the wheel and called for someone to take it.
Clapping him on the back, Cabe said, “My friend. What can I do for you?”
Brooks walked a little bit further away, “Would you perform another wedding ceremony?”
Cabe’s eyebrows raised, “Of course, for whom?”
Brooks gave him a small smile, “Persephone and I. We want it very small and simple. Just you, and the two of us if we can. I want to protect her from her family.”
Cabe gaped at him for another second and then he shook his head. “Of course. Tonight, come to my first mate’s cabin and I will marry you.”
Brooks smiled, “Thank you.”
Cabe nodded and walked back over to the wheel, once again becoming the Captain.
Brooks walked to the cabin he shared with Burk.
And to his surprise Burk was there. Usually he was at Lily’s side.
“Burk? What are you doing here? I thought you would be with Lily.”
Burk looked up at him and Brooks could see the torment in his brother’s eyes.
He did not like that look. “Burk? What is going on?”
Burk looked down at his boots, “It’s her Brooks. The girl I saved all those years ago. She is Lily. I knew there was something familiar about her, and I thought it could be her, but I did not want to make myself believe it. But it is true. She was the one I found and helped. The one girl that made me never even give another a second glance.”
Brooks’ eyes widened. He knew about the girl that Burk saved. Knew that Burk’s woman had the same name, but he truly did not think she was the same one.
“How did you find out?”
Burk looked up, “Lily and I have been talking, getting to know one another. Well, I have been letting her talk. I know she needs time and has been struggling. And she told me that story. I cannot believe it’s really her. I had hoped and wished, and deep down I knew it was her, but lord has she gotten even more beautiful than before.”
