Page 56 of Gunner

“I’m not. I just don’t feel like leaving Jesse yet.”

“He’s six months old. And besides, Kiki is in love with her brother.”

“I know that, and I know she’s good with him, but I don’t feel right leaving him, Gunner,” she continues to protest when all I want to do is spank her ass and fuck her over the side of my bike.

“We need a little time together, baby girl. That’s all this is.”

“We have time every night when he goes to bed,” she whines. I smile. I can’t help it. I love this woman. More than I ever thought I could love anyone. She brings out a new side of me, a side that I haven’t seen in a very long time, and I like it.

I grab her shoulder and spin her to face me, cupping her face in my hands.

“It’s not like we’re leavin’ him all day. Just a little while. I have somethin’ I want to show you, and then we’ll go back,” I tell her, trying to reason with her.

“Really? We won’t take long?” I shake my head before leaning down and kissing her.

“No, baby girl. We won’t take long. I know you don’t like bein’ away from him. I don’t really either, but I also know he’s safe.”

“I know he is too. It just makes me nervous, and I don’t like that feeling.”

“Kiki has it under control. Now come on,” I tell her as I drag her toward my bike. I grab my helmet, pass hers to her, and watch as she slides it on. She looks good on the back of my bike. She looks even better with me.

I climb on and offer my hand to help her, and she gladly accepts it. She climbs on and grabs onto me just the way I like before I rev the bike and take off. She holds on tightly as we ride out of the diner parking lot.

I circle around town, taking my time as we ride. The more we ride, the more relaxed I feel her get, and that’s all I want for her. I want her to take a minute for herself. She’s a damn good mother to our little boy, and I couldn’t ask for more, but I know she needs a little time to herself too.

I pull down a side street and all the way to the end before pulling into a driveway and killing the engine. Nat climbs off as I do the same removing our helmets before she looks up at me strangely.

“Whose house is this?”

“That’s the thing, Nat. I’ve been thinkin’ about things.”

“About what?”

“Us, Jesse. We need a place of our own. I didn’t do that with Kiki and Hodge. They grew up in the clubhouse with their mom, and I wouldn’t change that for the world, but …”

“But what?”

“You’re not her. You’re different, and you deserve more. This is me givin’ it to you.”

“What do you mean? I don’t get it,” she says softly.

“You never really had a place to call home, Nat. Those people used and abused you. You weren’t safe there. I want you to feel comfortable and have everything you’ve ever wanted.”

“Gunner-” she begins, but I cut her off, shaking my head.

“No. You deserve to be happy, Natasa, and that’s all I want for you. This house is just the beginnin’.”

“You … you bought a house?” she asks, not sure what I’m saying to her. I smirk and nod my head.

“We needed it.”

“We …”

“Yeah, we. Me, you, and Jesse. It’s got a yard he can run around and play in. The guys can come over, and we can cook out. It’s perfect, Nat.”

“So is the clubhouse.” I walk closer to her and rest my hands on her shoulders.

“I know you feel safe there. I know that’s the first place you could actually call home, but now you have an actual home. A place that’s just ours, Nat.”

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