22. Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Two
Gunnar
It’s been three days without Willow, and I feel like I’m missing a limb. She’s finally on her way to the inn today; I feel like a kid on Christmas morning waiting for their presents.
I have been sitting on the porch in one of the freshly painted rocking chairs waiting for her since she texted to let me know that she was getting off the highway.
“Aww, look at G, waiting for his girl,” Hunter teases on his way inside.
“At least I have one and didn’t let her get away!”
He scowls at me.
I was sworn to secrecy during boot camp about the one that got away . I haven’t said a word, but that comment could have any of our siblings up his ass about who it is. Good thing I know all of them are down by the stairs to the cove to finish repairing the last few steps.
Willow’s car pulls in the driveway and parks behind my truck. The sight of her makes my stomach flip, and my palms are sweaty. I try to contain my excitement by walking over to her instead of running like I want to. I’m ready to hold her in my arms.
When she sees me her smile broadens and I know I’m not the only one who was ready to see the other.
She launches her body at me and I catch her when she wraps her legs around my waist and peppers my face with kisses.
I grab the back of her neck and hold her in place to capture her mouth with mine.
She pulls back to look at me. “Hey handsome.”
“Hey, darling. I’m so glad you’re here.” I kiss her forehead once more.
“Oh yea? Did you miss me or something?” She grins.
“Or something,” I respond, placing her back on the ground.
“Right hand a little tired?” She giggles, reaching between us to cup me.
“Don’t start something, darling. There’s a lot of Keatons around right now,” I warn.
She gives me one more squeeze and pulls out of my arms, running up the front porch of the inn. I follow behind her, and when I get close I reach out to grab her around the waist, pulling her back to me so she can feel what she’s done.
“Let me go!” she squeals.
“Sorry. I told you not to start something.” I scoop her up into my arms and take the steps to our room two at a time .
She fights me the entire time to be put down.
I shut the door behind me and drop her to the bed.
“No dust. I cleaned.” I grin at her before jumping on the bed and covering her body with mine. I pin her against the bed, trailing kisses along her collarbone.
She wore my favorite sundress that has small straps, exposing her chest to me, and giving the perfect hint of her amazing cleavage. I bunch up the bottom of her dress with one hand, and push her strap down with the other.
“I missed you,” she blurts out.
I stop kissing her and look into her eyes.
She squirms under my stare.
“Darling, I missed you more than I ever want to miss you again.”
“I love you,” She says quickly before averting her gaze.
The relief that she feels the same as I do is unequivocal to anything I’ve ever felt.
“Darling, look at me,” I demand. “I want you to be looking at me when I say this.”
She reluctantly turns to face me, a light pink blush covering the apples of her cheeks.
Her reaction to her unexpected confession is so fucking cute.
“I love you. You never have to be afraid that I won’t.”
She pulls me back down to her, and I know in my heart she’s it for me .
I cover her mouth with mine, with more intensity than before. When she’s grasping at me, I stop to look her in the eyes again.
I say a silent prayer that she chose me to give herself to after what she’s been dealing with. I promise right then and there I will never take that for granted.
Now I need to pay a visit to Lorelei.
Before dinner I want to bring Willow down to the cove to get a minutes alone. I love my siblings but I've spent enough time with them recently.
Now that the steps are completed, it's safe for us to go down. The project ended up being a lot more work than we thought. We finished them this afternoon with a few of Hunter’s guys.
Wyatt and I found a large driftwood log this afternoon, and we set it up with some of the rocks so people can sit in a circle around a bonfire on the beach.
After a long talk with Momma and Pops, we all made a decision that Liam has been too nice to Pops until now and he is going to do what needs to be done, and Pops is going to step back from operations. Needless to say the nurses at his rehab facility weren't too happy with us for agitating him, but it had to be done. Emma and Liam are now in control of everything .
“Hey darling, put that sundress on, and some shoes, and follow me,” I tell Willow.
“Really? You think you can tell me what to wear, and where to go?” She places her hands on her hips and glares at me, but I see the tug at the corner of her lips.
“Yes, I think I can.” I slap her ass. “Let’s get a move on so we don’t miss dinner.”
She puts on a show to fight me, but within thirty seconds she’s wearing the sundress again, and has shoes on her feet.
I place her hand in mine and we walk outside. I lead her to the steps.
“Oh wow, this is beautiful. I love the new fencing and railing.” She runs her hand over the wood. “This espresso stain was definitely the right choice on color. Who did the distressing?”
“That was Emma.”
“Emma is here?” she squeals with excitement.
Oops. I forgot to tell her.
“Yea, got here early this morning, just in time to tell us what to do.” I laugh. Our sister might be the youngest, but we fall in line when she gives an order.
I lead her down the steps. “I want to show you something.”
When we get down to the beach, I see that Wyatt and Emma finished setting up the fire pit this morning. They used rocks found around the beach to complete a ring about seven inches tall, and two feet around. They even filled it with some logs to start the fire tonight. Leaning against the driftwood log I see two long sticks for roasting marshmallows.
“Oh my gosh, I love this! It's so cute! I can see couples wanting to have an intimate picnic down here.” She snuggles into my side, like she’s imagining it with me.
I sit on the driftwood and pat the spot next to me for her to join me.
“I really missed you. It was terrible being by myself.” I kiss her forehead.
“I missed you too, but unfortunately, I was busy trying to figure out what to do about Jake. Are you sure you’re ok with the plan we made?” She looks at me, giving me an out, letting me have the space to choose to not help her.
“I’m very sure. I’ve told you a hundred times, anything you need, I’m here.”
She straddles my lap facing me. “I just want to make sure. I don’t want to force you into anything.”
“You aren’t. But you know what I want to do?” I whisper into her ear.
She shivers as I run my finger along her arm. “What?”
“Bend you over, hike this dress up, and fuck you on the beach.”
I pick her up and place her on her feet.
She bends willingly, resting her forearms on the rocks of the cliff.
I gather the bottom of her dress in my hand, and place my hand on the small of her back .
“Your ass is my favorite sight.” I pull her lacy underwear to the side, making sure that I run my hands across her ass on the way, appreciating every second I get to witness this work of art.
“Please… hurry,” she says quietly.
I unzip my shorts, and line my cock up, slamming into her, just like I know she likes; hard and fast.
“Better go quick, darling, we have five minutes before the crew descends upon us.” I laugh.
“Fuck you. You better do your job then, big boy,” she fires back, making me laugh harder.
I reach around and thumb her clit, making her buck into me, taking me deeper.
“Fuck, Gunnar,” She’s breathless.
I go faster, until she’s trembling in my arms, and then finish myself when she goes weak against me from the aftermath of her own orgasm.
“It just gets better every time.” I whisper out.
She fixes her clothes, and I fix mine, just as my crew of siblings begin coming around the corner.
“That was close.” She grins at me.
“Seriously, G? On my beach?” Liam scowls at me, the flush of Willow’s cheeks gives us away.
“What? We were just getting some wood.” I shrug.
Wyatt lets out a loud, deep laugh. “You might have been getting wood, but it wasn’t for the fire.” He drops a few logs on the sand next to the full fire pit. The fire pit that was full before we got here .
“You know, if I didn’t like you so damn much I might have to disown you for falling victim to his bullshit,” Emma says to Willow, making her laugh.
Cooper comes around the corner last, carrying five pizzas. “You know, assholes, when I said I was waiting for Roman, I kind of hoped one of you would help.” He stares at them. “I shouldn’t even let you eat my pizza.” He places all the pizzas on a flat rock, opening one of the boxes and grabbing a piece before standing with his arm resting on top of the pizzas.
“Shut up, Coop. You played foreman until Emma got here and made you do actual work.” Wyatt pushes him out of the way and grabs his own slice.
“Can any of you function without me?” Emma asks.
She sits on the log next to Willow. “So um, that video of you two. Hot damn that was amazing. G I had no idea you still played, or that you could sing like that.”
“Yea, apparently the comments are just as hot.” I wink at my brothers.
“Oh, ew. No. Those women are blind,” Emma gags.
“At least they were nice.” Willow reaches out for the piece of pizza I hand her.
“Yea, what was with your ex-manager? I didn’t even know who he was until I looked him up,” Emma asks.
“Legally speaking, he shouldn’t have done that. But he did, so now I’m doing damage control.” Willow shrugs like what she’s going through is no big deal.
“Yea, now we’re going to go live, or whatever, and answer the women’s burning questions about Willow's hottie .” I smile wide.
“Please tell me that’s not true? I beg of you, don’t let him go viral. We’ll never hear the end of it.” Emma places her hands together, and kneels on the ground in front of Willow.
She tells Emma the plan to go live on the front porch tomorrow so that we can say we’re traveling and people won’t know where we live. She isn’t ready for the world to know she’s back in Lupine Valley. Plus she says it will give the inn some great exposure since the porch has been repaired and stained. All the rocking chairs got a face lift too.
Emma agrees to help us, and keep my ego under control by monitoring the comments. Emma’s friends always tried to date us. They had no shame. So she’s a little sensitive when it comes to women saying anything about our looks.
Before long, Roman, his sister Evelyn, and a few other people from high school show up. I leave Willow and Emma to talk to Roman and Hunter.
“Hey, G,” Roman greets me. “Who is that smokin’ hot friend of Willow’s?” He asks, biting his lip, and checking out my baby sister’s ass. Talk about gagging.
I swat the back of his head. “That’s fucking Emma, asshole. Stop looking at my sister.”
His eyes bulge open. “What? That’s Emma? ”
This time Hunter hits him. “Yea, so stop fucking looking.” We both stare at him, daring him to look one more time at my sister’s ass.
“Sorry guys, I didn’t - I mean- I can’t believe- I’m going to shut up now.” He walks away from us, thankfully not to my sister. I’d have to jump him right here and I really don’t want to do that.
Evelyn bounces over to me and hugs me. “Gunnar!”
“Hey Evey.” I hug her back. When I place her down, Willow is at my elbow. “Evey, this is Willow, my girl.” I grin.
“It’s Evelyn, only this bag of dicks is allowed to call me Evey, and I still hate every second of it.” She pulls Willow in for a tight hug, just like she did me.
“Evelyn.” Hunter clears his throat from next to me.
“Hunter.” She looks at him with disgust and turns back to Willow and I. “Neil! Come here, babe!”
She calls a man that looks like he belongs in an office in the 1950’s. He’s got on a polo, khaki pants, and loafers. A far cry from the casual board shorts, or cargo shorts the rest of us are wearing. He also looks like I could break him in two pieces with one pinky. I'd be shocked if this guy has ever seen the inside of a gym.
“Guys, this is Neil.” She stares directly at Hunter. “My boyfriend.” She lays her head on Neil’s chest, still keeping eye contact with Hunter .
I can’t make out what Hunter mutters under his breath, but he walks away pretty pissed off.
I shake my head.
Despite the fact that I think Neil is a complete jackass I sit and talk with him as Willow and Evelyn start getting to know each other and Emma joins them. On about the twentieth minute of listening to Neil talk to me about making wise financial investments for my future, I make an excuse to leave and beeline it to Cooper.
I look back and mouth, “I’m sorry,” to Willow.
She laughs, knowing exactly why I left them.
I can’t wait to get her alone again.