Gunnin' for You (Rolling Thunder series Book 4) (3 page)

“Baby, everything is in the car except for you. Let me help you out of bed.”

Joci scooted herself to the edge of the bed and lowered her feet to the floor as Jeremiah wrapped his arm around her back and waist to help her stand. Once on her feet, she was gripped with another contraction.

“Breathe through it, baby. Come on, breathe with me.”

Jeremiah’s massive chest rose and fell against Joci’s back as he began panting with her, encouraging her to breathe with him. Joci closed her eyes and felt his breathing and the warmth and strength of his arm around her. What would she do without him?

“Okay. Whew. They’re coming closer and closer,” she said as she looked into his eyes, the same color as fresh spring grass, and hoped once again that their baby would look like its father.

“Yeah, I thought we would have more time between ten minutes apart and two minutes apart. Those last two were close. Let’s get you to the car.”

Making their way slowly to the kitchen, another contraction hit Joci.

“Oh no, another one’s coming.” Joci froze in place and gripped her belly on either side as she leaned slightly forward.

“Shit. Breathe, honey. Breathe.”

Jeremiah turned into the hospital parking lot and drove right up to the emergency entrance. As an attendant came out to the car, Jeremiah yelled, “We need a wheelchair; my wife is having a baby and her contractions are about a minute apart.”

Trotting through the hospital to the birthing unit, a nurse met them in the hall. “This is my wife, Joci. My name is Jeremiah.”

“My name is Janie and I’ll be helping you deliver your baby.”

JT, Gunnar, Molly, and Ryder were sitting outside the birthing room with Thomas and Emily, Jeremiah’s parents, Jeremiah’s brothers and sisters-in-law, and Joci’s sister and brother-in-law. They could hear certain things being said in the room; they were trying to listen, and then trying not to listen. They could hear Jeremiah coaching Joci on her breathing, and then hear Joci grunt or pant, and then a loud release of breath after she pushed.

Gunnar squirmed in his seat. This was uncomfortable, just thinking about what was going on in there was making him sweat. Molly looked at him and started laughing.

“What?”

“The look on your face is funny. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”

She laughed a little harder as they heard another loud grunt and Gunnar winced. Ryder grinned as Gunnar turned his head and looked away.  

Feeling restless, Gunnar got up and walked a few steps down the hall. Stretching his back as he moved helped relieve this tension. Damn hospital smells on top of his mom grunting in pain in the other room was driving him crazy. A door opened and a woman walking backwards bumped into Gunnar with a thud. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders to keep her from falling on her ass. The soft scent of her perfume and the feel of her warm body pressing into his make his dick jerk. The woman with her was wearing a robe and pushing a baby in a little bassinet. Her eyes initially rounded as she watched Gunnar break the fall of the woman in his arms.

As he lifted her to her feet, Emma turned, “I’m sorry, I was just…”

They stared at each other for a few moments as recognition set in. Emma’s expressive brown eyes grew as big as saucers as realization hit. She was standing in Gunnar’s arms. She righted herself as he set her away from him and her face flamed a vibrant red.

Gunnar looked at her and smirked. “You’re not going to throw an exploding can of formula on me, are you?” He hooked his thumbs in his front pockets to keep his hands from holding on to her. Feeling her against his body had his heart beating a rapid tempo and he felt the moisture forming on his back.

Ashley burst out laughing. “Oh my God, are you the guy whose bike got doused? I laughed so hard after she told us what she did that I went into labor. At least, I think that’s what did it.”

Emma looked at Ashley with a “what the heck?” look and Ashley laughed all the more.  

“Sorry. I’m sure it wasn’t funny at the time, but it really hit a funny bone when she told me.”

Gunnar’s family was listening and watching with amusement. He had spent yesterday afternoon cleaning his bike. Again.

Just then, they heard a baby’s cry from Joci’s room. Gunnar turned to face the door where his new little sibling was just born, waiting to hear the news. It took a few moments, and Janie walked out of the room to tell the family the news.

She looked over at Gunnar and her blue eyes grew large. “Gunnar, what are you doing here?”

Gunnar looked at her, his brow furrowed, his eyes questioning. He looked at her name badge, Janie. He looked at her face again. Nope, nothing.

After a few beats, Emma, watching the whole thing, nudged Gunnar’s arm.

Gunnar looked down at her and back at Janie. He cleared his throat and pointed to Joci’s room. “My mom’s having…had a baby. What is it?”

Janie looked at him and shook her head as if letting this detail sink in before looking back to the others. She cleared her throat and said, “It’s a girl. We’re cleaning her up and taking care of Joci. It should be just a few minutes, and then we’ll let you in.”

Janie glanced at Gunnar, shifted her gaze to Emma, and then turned and walked back into the room. JT grinned at Gunnar and nudged Ryder. They chuckled and began talking with each other about the baby. Jeremiah’s brothers exchanged a few dollars; apparently, there had been a bet.

Gunnar heard a cluck and looked down at Emma. “Did you pick her up in a bar or something and not remember her?” she asked, crossing her arms in front of her.

Gunnar closed his eyes and tilted his head back. Fuck, yeah—blow job girl on his birthday. He realized she had asked him something and looked back at her. She looked irritated with him.  

“Ah, something like that I guess.”

“Pfft. Men.” Emma pointed to the other end of the hall as she looked at Ashley and turned to walk away.

Ashley followed her with a smile on her face. She looked at Gunnar. “Congratulations on your little sister.” She continued walking to catch up to Emma, pushing Tyler in his bassinet.

Gunnar walked back to his family and waited to be allowed to go in and see his new little sister. He watched Emma and Ashley walk down the hall. Just a few moments with her and his cock was wiggling around in his pants and his mind was lost in thoughts of her. She smelled good again, dammit. Fresh and powdery. When she bumped into him and he wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling, she fit perfectly into his arms. Too perfect.

“She’s very pretty. Who is she?”

Gunnar turned to see Molly looking at him with a smile on her face. Molly, his biological sister—beautiful, with dark hair, bright blue eyes, perfect smile, petite, smart, loyal, talented, and he loved her. They had just met a few months ago, never knowing each other growing up, but they had spent time over the past few months building a relationship and Gunnar was so grateful to have her in his life.

“I don’t know. I met her yesterday at the grocery store. She’s clumsy.”

“Oooo, the bike thing? Yikes. Bad huh?” Molly’s nose wrinkled.

Absently, Gunnar turned his head to watch Emma and Ashley talking at the end of the hall. “Yeah.”

“You’re able to come in and visit, but I’m afraid only a few of you at a time,” Janie said as she tried to avoid looking into Gunnar’s eyes.

Jeremiah’s father, Thomas, stood and stretched. “You kids—Gunnar, JT, Ryder and Molly should be first along with Emily and me.” They walked in the room to see Jeremiah lying in bed next to Joci and holding his daughter in his arms. Joci was lying back, watching Jeremiah, her smokey gray eyes adoringly looking at him. Gunnar walked over and kissed his mom on the head.

“Hey. How are you doing? How’s my little sister?”

Joci smiled at Gunnar and grabbed his hand. “I’m good; she’s better.”

Gunnar looked at his dad and leaned across Joci to pat him on the shoulder.

“You look good with her in your arms.”

“She feels good. You want to hold her?”

Gunnar nodded and walked around the bed. Jeremiah placed the baby in his arms. He watched her little face as his brothers and sister crowded around.  Perfect little nose, bowed lips, and a full head of blonde hair. She was going to be a stunner when she grew up.

Gunnar’s mouth was dry, the beating of his heart solid and strong. “What’s her name?”

“Madison Laine Sheppard,” Jeremiah said.

“Hey, Maddie, welcome to the family,” Gunnar crooned to her.

Gunnar flicked his gaze over to Janie, who was looking right at him. Shit, what are the odds she would be the one to help deliver his little sister? He still, for the life of him, couldn’t remember her. He remembered the blow job—sort of—but not her.

Stacie, Jeremiah’s sister-in-law, stood in the doorway and cleared her throat. “Will you guys stop hogging the baby so the rest of us can?”

The boys and Molly kissed Joci, hugged Jeremiah, and then left the room. Gunnar was last, softly talking to Jeremiah before he turned to leave. As he walked into the hallway, he turned back to wave to his mom before he bumped into Emma. She almost fell and Gunnar quickly wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling.

Ashley giggled. “You two have got to stop meeting this way. At this rate, you’ll kill each other.”  

Gunnar’s face flamed a bright red as he looked at Emma. “Sorry, I should’ve been looking ahead.”

Emma smiled. “Me too.” Smoothing her sweater, she said, “So, how’s your little sister?”

“Maddie. She’s good.”

“Maddie. That’s adorable.”

Ashley started walking again. “Tyler and I are going to take a nap. Enough walking for a while. Nice to see you again, Maddie’s brother.” She grinned as she looked at Gunnar.

Gunnar captured Emma’s gaze in his. The color of deep chocolate framed with thick lashes held his attention. He swallowed as she smiled up at him and his cock jerked.

He blurted, “Emma…Would you have dinner with me?”

Cocking her head to the side, she asked, “Did you have dinner with Janie?”

Gunnar shook his head and furrowed his brow. “Ah, no, I didn’t. What does that have to do with having dinner with
you
?”

Emma shrugged. Okay, he had a good point. But she didn’t want to get involved with a player, either. She hesitated, not knowing what to say.

“I didn’t think it was that hard of a question. It’s just dinner.” Gunnar grinned. “After all, you threw baby formula all over my very clean bike. You kind of owe me a dinner at least.”

Emma pulled her mouth into a straight line. Her body flamed when she was near him. When he broke her fall, she felt a fire run through her body and head straight to her lower core. Now she was wet between the legs and her breasts were heavy. Her nipples hard and uncomfortable. Good thing she had a sweater on; it was hard to see through.

Softly, she whispered, “Just dinner?”

“Just dinner.”

“Okay. Just dinner. I’m really not doing men right now.”

Gunnar raised his eyebrows. “Are you into women then?”

“What? No! What is it with men anyway?”

“Hey, you’re the one that said you weren’t doing men right now.”

Emma’s face flushed pink, remembering her words. She pulled her hands up to cover her face and groaned. What was it about him that made her brain go on vacation? When she was able to compose herself, she pulled her hands away from her face and took a deep breath.

“I meant…I’m taking a man break. In other words, I’m not getting involved.” Her hand swooped out in front of her, palm up, as if that made it clearer.

“Okay. Got it. No involvement, just dinner. You’re not doing men or women, but you still eat. Good?”

Emma giggled as she looked at him. Gunnar smiled back and they both started laughing.

He pulled his phone out and they exchanged contact information. He could count on one finger the number of times he had given a woman his phone number and address. He shook his head from side to side; he was becoming someone he didn’t know. “How about this Saturday? That allows each of us a few days to get our new family members home and settled.”

“Saturday is great.” She smiled up at him, unable to form much more of a thought than that.

“I’ll pick you up at seven.”

Chapter Six

Janie stood just inside the door to Joci’s room when she heard Gunnar and Emma talk about a date. Her stomach twisted with jealousy and hurt. What was wrong with her that Gunnar wouldn’t call
her
and ask her out? She waited where she was so they wouldn’t see her and as soon as Emma walked away, Janie stepped out of the room. Gunnar and his uncle were standing in the hallway, watching Emma walk into Ashley’s room. Janie plastered a smile on her face and walked out. Gunnar looked over at her and then looked away again. Dayton chuckled as Janie walked past. When she was out of earshot, Dayton cleared his throat.

“You got ‘em lined up?”

Gunnar looked at him and then the direction Janie had gone. Oh.

“No. I didn’t recognize Janie before. Kind of picked her up in the bar the other night; didn’t even know her name. I know that’s kind of crude, but…”

Dayton chuckled. “You don’t have to explain. I’ve been there. It’s been years and years, but I get it.”

“You look stunning. Wow.” Gunnar admired Emma as she opened the door to let him in. Her perfect ass was covered in denim and her breasts were covered in a black and tan striped tank top. She wore a delicate gold chain and a black blazer. Nude high heels stretched her legs, giving her short five foot two frame the appearance of a leggy model, and Gunnar’s thoughts instantly went to imagining them wrapped around his waist.

Emma smiled at his praise. “Thank you. You look stunning yourself.”

Her eyes traveled down long, lean legs clad in black jeans. She slowly lifted her gaze up his body and admired the way his black leather jacket opened to show off the gray t-shirt hugging his lean torso and broad chest. Gunnar was simply breathtaking; he would look hot wearing nothing.  Shit, she shouldn’t have thought
that
. Now her head would be
there
all night long. Probably because it was true.