Page 55 of Everything I Crave

Chapter Nineteen

Willow

Waking up with Gunnar’s arms wrapped around me is a feeling I don’t want to give up. The warmth and weight of his body give me a sense of safety and security I've never had before. If I thought I had a crush before I am full blown falling for him now after watching him with his family and spending the night with them fixing up the inn.

His siblings were so welcoming, and I love seeing them interact together. It makes sense why Gunnar can give me shit just as bad as I give him.

I slip out from under his weight and walk out to the balcony with my phone. I haven’t even looked at it since we got here yesterday. I have at least twenty text messages from my sisters and mom in our group chat. There are so many, I don’t even scroll up. I just read thelast few messages.

Addy: Um hello? Are you alive? How was the date?

Scarlett: She’s busy, Ads. Maybe the date spilled into a whole weekend in bed!

Mom: Girls. No need to be crass.

Lacey: Ok seriously Willow. Where are you? I mean you need to come up for air at some point.

Mom: Willow? I’m coming to The Bar.

Addy: Willow, answer us!

Lacey: I just popped over to The Bar. There was an emergency with Gunnar’s Dad, Willow went with him.

Addy: Thank god that she’s alive but what happened?

Scarlett: I’m glad she’s okay, but do we know if they made it? And what was the emergency? This really doesn’t help my worrying.

Me: Sorry guys. I’m alive. I just haven’t looked at my phone and work was busy the night after our date then Mr. Keaton fell off the roof of their inn and is in the hospital. I’m at the inn with Gunnar now. I don’t know when we’ll be back but service is kind of spotty. I’ll let you know before we head back. P.S. it did spill into breakfast. ;)

Mom: Ugh. I’m leaving this chat.

Mom has left the group.

Addy: Ha! She actually left us. Glad to hear you’re okay, but how is his Dad? How are you after going to the hospital?

My sisters are sensitive to hospitals just like me. The fear of getting that call is something that will never leave us. I let them all know that he had surgery and will make a full recovery. I give them the address for the inn, Lacey is going to go to the florist to send an arrangement for Mrs. Keaton.

As nosey and annoying as they can be, their hearts are always in the right place.

I hear Gunnar stirring in bed, so I head back inside to crawl back into bed and slide under the covers, snuggling into his chest.

He reaches out and pulls me tight against him. “Mmm, good morning, darling. Where’d you go?” He places a kiss on the top of my head.

“Just to answer the millions of texts from my family who I forgot to text after our date, and before we left.”

I snuggle closer, running my hands over his back. He stiffens when I reach the scars on his back. He did the same the other night. I never thought about how the scars still affect him. I splay my hand over the largest spot and kiss him.

It doesn’t take long for him to relax against me, and after that it doesn’t take long for there to be a knock on the door.

“Get up, G, or out. Whatever. But it’s time for breakfast. Let’s go!” I don’t know which brother is at the door but Gunnar groans and releases me.

“Hunter won’t go away. It’s best to appease him and go downstairs.”

He leans on his elbow and looks down at me, his gaze rakes over my body. “Fuck, I don’t want to.”

He lays over me, trailing kisses down my neck and collarbone.

I pout up at him, I don’t want him to leave this bed either.

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