6. Gunnar
GUNNAR
I try to keep my announcement about the tractor ride light, but my fist is clenched as I try to get my fury under control.
That fucking bully. Now Rue’s eyes are sad. It’s my duty to cheer her up.
We round the corner of the clubhouse, and the tractor is waiting. A long trailer is full of hay bales. There are people already climbing on the back, laughing and joking about the haunted maze.
I don’t stop until I’m at the tractor where I climb into the seat and hold out my hand to Rue.
“Come on up here.”
She laughs, looking around. “I thought you were kidding about this.”
“I’m not the kidding type, if you haven’t noticed. Come on.”
“Hold on.” She reaches under her dress and does something. A second later, a white thing with hoops pools at her feet.
“What the hell?”
“That’s the thing that holds the dress out.”
“I know. I was under it, remember?”
“Um,” she says, pressing her lips together cutely. “It would be hard to forget that. But I thought it would be a safety hazard while you’re driving.”
“You’re probably right. Now come on. I need you on my lap.”
Holding my hand, Rue climbs up and takes a seat. It’s impossible not to groan. It’s the first time I’ve felt her ass pressed against me.
Goddamn.
What have I done to myself? She’s going to be sitting on my lap for the next hour as I make laps around the compound. I’m going to die. I might actually blow my wad in my pants.
“Let’s shift you this way.” I reposition her slightly so that my dick doesn’t break, and I put the tractor into gear. A honk of the horn is the only warning the riders get that we’re about to move out.
The partiers splay across the hay bales, shouting and laughing. I don’t give a damn what they’re doing. I’ve got my hands full, literally, between driving the tractor and managing Rue and the mountain of fabric tangled around her legs.
When I look down into her eyes, they’re bright with happiness, the tension of the confrontation gone. My throat burns with relief as I ask, “You enjoying yourself?”
“Yep.”
“My cock isn’t.”
“Oh, poor baby.”
I grunt, although I’m grinning.
We round the complex, taking the gravel road that circles the perimeter. Probably go too fast, but I’m barely able to fucking concentrate with her squirming on my lap and her arm around my neck.
“This is so much fun,” she murmurs, and I don’t know if she’s talking about the tractor ride or torturing me.
I pass Skull, and he gives me a knowing look, staring at us as we go by. Damn him. He said I was gonna fall one day, and here it fucking is.
The tractor chugs around another corner and we pass a group of prospects who perk up and stare at us.
I give them a threatening glare. Mine. Keep your fucking hands off.
We round the final corner of the compound, and there stand Logan and Claire. For a moment, they continue talking. Then they do a double take.
“Oh no,” Rue mutters. “I knew I’d eventually run into her.”
I don’t stop the tractor. I keep going right past as they stare at us, mouths hanging open.
When I hit the gas harder, Rue grabs me. “Gunnar! You’re gonna throw them off the back.”
No one falls, and we make it to the loading zone. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a prospect hustling toward us. He rolls right up on us and says, “Prez wants me to give you a break.”
I don’t know why he’s telling me to take off, but I know what I’m doing with it.
“You’re not going to like this,” I warn Rue as I climb down and lower her to her feet. “We’re going to talk to your sister and Logan right now.”
Surprise, then anger tightens her expression. “No, I don’t want to do that.”
“We’re telling her you’re staying with me tonight.”
She gapes at me. “Oh no. I’m not having that conversation with her.”
“You don’t have to. I am. She needs to know you’re staying with me tonight.”
Rue glances around, her fingers moving up to touch her throat above the high collar of her dress. Her nerves are rattled, that’s clear as day.
I step in close to her personal space and brush the hair back from her cheek. “Tell me you want to leave,” I say.
“I don’t want to leave,” she says. “I’d be lying if I told you I did.”
I take her face in my hands. “I’ll take good care of you, Rue. I promise.”
She doesn’t hesitate. She melts against me.
Fuck. This woman has ruined me in a matter of hours. A deep growl rises from my chest. “We need to be alone soon.”
She pulls back, breathing hard. “How long do you have to work tonight?”
“Till this is done. I’m on duty until we clean things up and get everyone out of the compound.”
She looks around, her nose scrunched adorably. “How long do you think that’ll be?”
“Too fucking long. Hours.”
She shivers and licks her lips. “That’s a lot of anticipation.”
“Yeah, honey, it is.”
I press my mask against her forehead. “It’s gonna be really fucking good when we finally get to my apartment. Now let’s go find your sister so she won’t be looking for you.”
“Wait. I need my hoops. This dress will be a handful without them.”
We find the hoops. She does some kind of magic and once again, she looks like a zombie doll with a puffy skirt. “I’m ready,” she says, scrunching her nose. “Not really. But I won’t ever be.”
I hug her close. “You got your guard dog with you, sweetheart.”