All They Wanted (Wanted 5.6)

“Why didn’t you wake me up, Gunner?”

He shrugged. “You looked so peaceful sleeping with your head in my lap. I figured you needed the rest.”

A part of me was disappointed Gunner would let me sleep. The idea was to spend time with our friends, but I knew I was being emotional and silly.

“You’ve only been asleep for maybe thirty or forty minutes.”

Relief swept over my body. “Oh good! I thought maybe I had missed out on fun times.”

Laughing, Gunner stood and reached for me. He took my hand and gently pulled me up to him.

“Well, after no one else showed interest in Ari’s truth or dare game and we started talking about the ranch, you quickly dozed. Poor Heather’s head was bopping all over the place before Josh got up and took her back to their tent.”

Wrapping my arm around Gunner’s waist, we slowly walked to our campsite. “Poor, Heather. I’m sure she is exhausted with carrying twins!”

“No doubt. I’ve never seen Josh so happy before. I mean, truly utterly happy.”

Grinning, I held onto him tighter. “They’re so perfect for each other.”

Gunner stopped walking and turned to me. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

My nose crinkled up as I gazed into his eyes. “I think so, but maybe you should tell me.”

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He slowly grinned and replied, “I think I’d rather show you.”

The moment I stepped out of the tent I was greeted with the smell of bacon. With my stomach voicing my hunger, I headed over to Jeff and Ari’s campsite. Josh was manning the bacon while Jeff was at another stove tossing a pancake in the air.

The closer I got, the hungrier I became. Josh lifted his head and looked my way. My lower stomach pulled with desire. I had been so exhausted I fell asleep almost the moment my head hit the pillow last night. Josh held me against his body with his hand resting on the babies all night long.

“Hey, princess. How’d you sleep?” Josh asked while kissing me quickly on the lips.

“Better than I thought I would. I’m seriously surprised at how comfortable that blow-up mattress is.”

Josh’s face beamed. “I’m glad you slept good. I swear you were out before you even laid your head on the pillow.”

“I’d imagine carrying around two little babies is exhausting,” Jeff said with a wink and smile.

“I guess so. I wouldn’t know what to compare it to, for me this seems like normal.”

Ari walked over and sat down next to me. “I can’t even imagine having more than one inside of me. This little one is pretty damn demanding on her own.”

I rubbed my baby bump and smiled. I was showing a lot more than Ari, even though I was a few weeks behind her. “I’d have to say these two are for sure making their presence known in more than one way.”

Wrapping her arm with mine, Ari gave me the warmest smile. “I’m so happy we’re pregnant together.”

I returned her smile. If someone would have told me a few years ago Ari and I would both be pregnant, and me with twins, I’d have laughed at them. We used to talk about how we were going to travel the world after college and explore places we dreamed of going to. Family and marriage was an afterthought. Now look at us. Both the happiest we’d ever been.

“Me too, Ari,” I replied. “Even though I’m so much bigger than you.”

She laughed. “You’re carrying two of them. I’ve only got one.”

Glancing over to the guys, I asked, “Do y’all need any help?”

Jeff and Josh both shook their heads. Jeff answered, “Nope. You two take it easy. Unlike Gunner, we’ve got our job of cooking down.”

Ari moaned next to me. “Gunner. I really wanted to get him at truth or dare last night.”