by Pj Fiala
The air smelled clean and fresh and the wind was the perfect temperature as it blew over her skin. The fresh clean scent she had now grown accustomed to as being Gunnar, mixed with the masculine odor of just…him. When he moved, little puffs of his scent would escape his jacket and tickle her nose. Emma was mesmerized by all of her senses today. The smells of Gunnar and her surroundings, the wind blowing over her skin, her arms wrapped around his trim firm torso, and resting her chin on his strong shoulder. He would often rest his hand on her left leg while driving down the road, which made her tummy flip and more dampness settle between her legs. It was a sweet kind of torture with her legs wrapped around him and feeling the vibration of the bike under her. She understood the thrill now; it was absolutely intoxicating.
They roared between the boulders that stood on either side of the road as they entered Fish Creek, and the vibration felt more intense with it also reverberating through her ears and in her chest. Emma closed her eyes and let the feeling wash over her. Yeah, she was going to need Gunnar between her legs soon; the pull was undeniable, but after today with all of these sensations running wild in her body and mind, she wouldn’t need much to coax her to peel her clothes off for him.
They parked their bikes in front of the restaurant, backing them in, so the front tires were facing the road. Emma hopped off when Gunnar stopped and stood on the sidewalk with Molly and Angie while the guys and Janice parked, dropped the kickstands and shut their bikes off. Gunnar walked straight to Emma and picked her up and swung her around. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, to hang on, but also because she needed her some Gunnar right at that moment. When he stopped spinning her, he kissed her lips, softly and sweetly, and then held his forehead against hers for just a brief moment. Emma heard some catcalling and giggled. Gunnar gently leaned down until Emma’s feet were firmly on the ground.
“Did you enjoy the ride?”
“Yes, I did. I see the pull now. It’s exhilarating.”
Gunnar smirked and nodded. That it was. They turned as everyone else had put their jackets in their bags on the bikes; it was warm enough to ride for a while without them. Gunnar stuffed his gloves in the bags of his bike. Emma pulled her jacket off, folded it and put it in the bike. They closed the bags and turned to walk into the restaurant when Emma froze on the sidewalk. Gunnar looked down at her and then at what she was looking at and muttered, “What the fuck?”
The stocky man who had taken their picture last night was walking toward them with a man beside him. His hair again pulled back, his jeans seemed ill-fitting, though no rips or tears. The shirt he wore was Hawaiian in style with an intricate fleur-de-lis pattern in golds and oranges. The man beside him was around six feet tall, though lanky and gangly. He wore a crooked smile, which seemed more like a sneer and he had his gaze fixed on Emma.
Gunnar watched them approach, catching the man’s eye, who seemed fixated on him. Their determined steps set his nerves on edge. “Let’s go in the restaurant, Em.”
Gunnar ushered Emma in the door of the Cookery with Ryder, Molly, and JT close behind. The others followed, unaware of anything out of the ordinary. Connor, a friend of Gunnar’s biological father, had walked in ahead and told the hostess they would need a table for fourteen. The waitresses were pulling tables together and Gunnar walked them back to those tables and sat at the back against the wall so no one could sneak up on them. Ryder, JT, and Molly followed.
As soon as they were seated, Molly stated, “I need to use the restroom. Why don’t we go real fast while everyone else is still trying to find a seat?”
Emma nodded and the other women went with them.
Gunnar leaned over to JT and Ryder as soon as the women left. “See that man standing right there?” Gunnar nodded toward the two men who had followed them into the restaurant. “The chunky one took Emma’s picture last night, and when we noticed him, he tucked his camera in his pocket and left. Now here he is this morning. What do you make of that?”
“I thought we were being followed by a car, but I didn’t know if it was a chaser or not,” JT said. They often had a chaser vehicle along with them, in case someone broke down or just wanted to toss in jackets or other belongings.
Gunnar nodded, “That’s what I thought.”
JT watched the men standing at the hostess station waiting to be seated. He got up and spoke to the waitress. She nodded and looked over at the two men, and then she smiled and nodded again.
JT came back to the table and sat down. “I asked her to seat them in the other room.”
Dayton, Tommy, and Connor had taken seats across from Gunnar, JT, and Ryder.
“I don’t recognize him, and Emma said she didn’t either.”
Tommy, Gunnar’s uncle, a police officer, looked at Gunnar. “They have every right to be here. No proof they purposely followed us. Let’s ignore them. We’re riding a little more up here, then heading back towards home. They certainly aren’t going to show up at Jeremiah and Joci’s this evening. But, in the future, be aware of whether or not they are following you and Emma. Tell Emma to be aware of her surroundings and who is there. If she continues to see them following her, she should let someone know. Have they said anything to you at all today?”
“No. They haven’t said anything. But last night Emma and I walked out back at The Barn and he took her picture. She saw it and mentioned it, but as soon as I turned around, he gave me a salute and left. I have no idea how he knew we would be here today.”
*****
Emma sat down next to Gunnar, a soft smile on her lips. She looked into his eyes and caught the clenching of his jaw. Leaning in to whisper, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t figure out who that guy is.” Gunnar inclined his head toward the other room. “Are you sure you don’t know him?”
Emma looked in the direction of Gunnar’s nod. “Not a clue who he is. I noticed him watching you as he was walking toward us before.”
Taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it, Gunnar whispered. “Probably sizing me up. Let’s just steer clear of him, okay?”
“Sounds good to me.” After all the sensory stimulation today, she wasn’t going to let a goofy stalker keep her from Gunnar. Actually, the more time she spent with him, his family, and friends, the more spellbound she became. Last night was seared into her brain—the way he felt and the way he treated her—for the remainder of her days.
When he brought her home, she asked him if he wanted to come in and he huskily said, “Not tonight, babe. I need you to know I’m not the jerk you originally thought I was. I want you, with every fiber of my being, but I need you to know me and know I’m good.”
Well…swoon! The fact that it meant so much to him that she understood he wasn’t bad, just made Emma crazier for him. Tossing and turning all night last night drove her even crazier. How did he do that in such a short amount of time? That first instant they met, she could feel the sizzle. But now…sizzle wasn’t nearly a strong enough word.
As they prepared to leave, Emma was gazing out on the bay when warm, strong arms slid around her waist. She smiled at being pulled into Gunnar’s firm body. She took a deep breath and relaxed into his embrace. He kissed her temple and nuzzled her ear, and Emma closed her eyes.
“I was just thinking how sorry I am that I didn’t come back home more often and come up here to visit. It’s such a beautiful little town and my dad, Ashley, and I used to come up here in the summers to spend the day. I forgot how much I missed it until now.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Emma turned in Gunnar’s arms and looked straight at his chest gathering her thoughts. When she was ready, she looked up into his face to see him looking down at her.
Softly, Emma said, “I was afraid.”
Taking a deep breath, Gunnar whispered, “Josh’s mom?”
Emma sighed and let out a breath. “I had been at a parade in Green Bay for the Packers. I went with some friends from school and we were cheering the Packers
on for a game, I can’t even remember what game or the circumstances. Anyway, we were walking back to our cars when Josh’s parents walked up to me and started screaming at me that I had no right to be there, cheering and having fun while their son was cold and in the ground because of me. It was horrible, and the only thing I could think was to move away so I could go out in public and not have to worry about being accosted by his parents. I know it was running away, but I was only nineteen years old. I was scared. I was devastated that I had hurt someone else and the looks on their faces was more than I could bear. I finished tech school a month later and moved to Chicago as soon as I could find a job there. I didn’t come back very often, and when I did, I went to Ashley’s and didn’t leave the house much.”
Gunnar squeezed Emma and held her against his body.
“Hey, you gonna neck on the sidewalk all day, or can we get going?”
Gunnar chuckled and looked down at Emma. “I guess Uncle Dayton is a little anxious to get moving. You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good. I didn’t mean to get all maudlin on you. It’s been a great day, Gunnar. Thank you.”
She squeezed him again then pulled back, her brows furrowed.
“Are you…do you carry a gun?”
He raised his brows then furrowed them in confusion.
“I just felt something hard when we hugged. Do you?”
He chuckled first then said, “Yes. We all carry.” Extending his arm toward his family. “All the time. Does it bother you?”
“No. I just haven’t noticed it before.”
“Last night we were out and I thought I might have a drink or two. That’s the exception. We don’t carry if we drink. It’s against the law and it isn’t safe.”
“Okay. Thank you for being safe.”
“Always. And if you think you want to learn to shoot, Ryder has been teaching Molly and she’s going to get her concealed carry soon. You could to. Up to you. Okay?”
”Okay.”
The ride back ended far sooner than Emma liked. They were welcomed into Jeremiah and Joci’s house and offered drinks as soon as they hit the kitchen. Gunnar, still holding Emma’s hand, pulled her to the back of the house to Maddie’s room to take a peek at her. She was sound asleep, but Gunnar bent down and kissed her little cheek as she slept. He adjusted her blanket and felt her head to make sure she wasn’t cold. Emma grinned, watching him take care of his little sister. As he stood, he noticed Emma’s expression.
“I can’t help it. I just love touching her and holding her. As soon as Mom found out she was pregnant, well, once we knew she wasn’t going to lose her, I kept dreaming about her. I was excited to have a sister.”
Emma stepped forward and wrapped her hands around Gunnar’s arm and leaned her forehead against his bicep. “I know what you mean. When Ashley called me to tell me she was having a baby, I couldn’t wait for him to arrive. I was freaked out as we were walking into the hospital and I was in the room when he was born, which freaked me out even more. But as soon as I saw him and held him, I was in love.”
Gunnar looked down at Emma; his heartbeat kicked up and his nostrils flared. Having her near him, touching him, and sharing her feelings about her nephew, made his stomach flip and his breathing stagger.
Emma looked up into his eyes. She stood on her toes and wrapped her palm around the back of his neck and pulled him down gently to her lips and kissed him. It was the first time she had initiated a kiss. His lips formed a smile as he kissed her, which caused her to smile in return. They both started giggling. Gunnar raised his forefinger to his lips and whispered, “Shh.”
Chapter Ten
After dinner, they hugged and thanked his family, and climbed on his bike to leave. Gunnar looked back at Emma and asked, “Are you tired, Emma?”
Tired? She had had her legs wrapped around his hips all day, smelling him, feeling him, touching him. No, tired was not what she was.
“No. Are you? Did you need me to drive?”
Gunnar burst out laughing. “No one drives my bike, babe. Not even you.”
Emma was, once again, taken in by how beautiful he was when he laughed. And that didn’t even take into account how his dark hair and light blue eyes took her breath away. “Okay,” she said, “just checking.”
“Climb on.”
Emma climbed on the back of his bike, slid her arms around his waist, and gave him a squeeze to let him know she was ready. She heard him chuckle and start the bike. They didn’t ride far before they pulled up to a dark house. Gunnar reached into the bag on the handlebars and pushed a button on a remote, opening the garage door. He drove the bike into the garage and hit the button again to close them in.
He climbed off the bike and pulled Emma into the house by her hand. They stepped into the kitchen and Gunnar flipped on the lights. Emma smiled when she took in the oak cabinets and hardwood floors. The kitchen’s muted lighting cast a soft glow over the granite counters and rested on the stainless canisters neatly standing next to the stove of the same metal. Nothing was out of place, and it was warm and inviting. The French doors leading to what Emma suspected was a deck were dark without sunlight shining through. A table sat just before them displaying four sage green placemats—one for each chair tucked in under the table.
“I’m going to take a stab at this and say you live here.”
Gunnar smiled. “Yup. JT and I live here. Ryder used to, but as soon as he met Molly, he was gone.”
“I never would have guessed bachelors would have such a neat and clean house.”
“Well, it was my mom’s and my house before she met Jeremiah. So, we can’t take credit for the decorating. She came over and made sure we had a pleasant place to live. JT and I keep it clean, mostly because we’re both afraid of Mom.”
They laughed at the thought of little Joci striking fear into those two big boys. Abruptly, Gunnar grabbed Emma around the waist and pulled her close.
“I need you.” His voice was gruff and raspy.
Emma’s throat was thick with emotion. “I need you, too.”
Gunnar wasted no time. He bent down and picked Emma up into his arms and carried her to his bedroom. He hit the light switch with his elbow, laid her on the bed, and went back to close the door. When he turned to look at her, Emma was lying on her side, leaning on her elbow watching him.
“What about JT coming home? Won’t he know we’re here?”
“Yes. He’ll know we’re here, but his bedroom is at the other end of the house and he won’t bother us.”
“Do you have to hang a tie on the doorknob or something?”
Gunnar chuckled. “No. He’ll just know. He’s been with us all day, Emma; he’ll know.”
“Oh,” she whispered.
Gunnar walked toward the bed and sat on the edge. He watched her eyes as he opened her wrap sweater. He could see her nipples beaded up under her cami. So…fucking…sexy. He ran his hands over her breasts and stopped with his thumbs over her nipples. Emma reached up and pulled the bandana off her head. As Gunnar’s thumbs roved over her taut peaks, she reached back and pulled her braid forward, never taking her eyes away from him. He switched between looking at her breasts and looking into her chocolate brown eyes. She watched him as she fingered the braid out of her hair. As soon as she had her hair loosened, she ran her hands through it and fanned it across the bed.
Gunnar sucked in a breath at the sight before him. He slid his hands down to the bottom of her cami and pulled it up over her head. The little piece of lace covering her breasts was so damn sexy. He ran his fingers over the swell at the edge of the lace. Light blue against the color of her skin, it was the prettiest color he had ever seen. As he looked closer, he saw the front clasp on her bra and slid his forefinger under and snapped it open. Using both hands to pull it wide, he bent his head and captured a nipple in his mouth and swirled his tongue around it before sucking it deep.
Emma whimpered at the feel of his tongue on her breast. He sucked her nipple into his mouth, causing
her breath to catch. His other hand massaged her other breast until he could lavish his full attention on it. Emma’s hands plunged into Gunnar’s hair. She felt the elastic band holding his hair back and pulled at it, releasing and fingering it until it fell forward over his shoulders.
“So beautiful,” she whispered as she watched his hair move across her breasts. She wiggled her fingers into his hair and fisted it against his scalp, pulling him into her and holding his head at her chest.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on, Emma. Seriously.”
Gunnar began kissing down her stomach, stopping to swirl his tongue in her belly button and continued the journey down until he reached the waistband of her jeans. His eyes caught writing on her side and he lifted his head and looked at the side of her ribs on the left. He saw a beautiful tattoo, cursive writing that read, ‘The pain you feel today, will be the strength you feel tomorrow.’ He lifted his eyes to Emma’s. His forefinger traced along the tattoo as he swallowed to moisturize his throat. “It’s beautiful.”
Emma smiled as she watched his face. He leaned forward and kissed the tattoo as his fingers opened the button and lowered the zipper to her jeans. He saw the same light blue lace covering the flesh he really wanted in his mouth. Standing, he pulled her jeans down her legs and watched her watching him. He began pulling his shirt over his head and smirked when he heard Emma suck in a breath.