“I can’t get the image of him dancing with her out of my head Ari!”

“Ellie he said he was thinking of you. Do you not think that maybe that is why he got a little bit too much into the dancing? You went out with Rich last week and you even said you had to pretend it was Gunner almost all night just to get through the date. Why is it so impossible for him to have to do the same thing? He made a mistake Ellie, and in a way I’m sure you confused the shit out of him with you offering him up to that bitch like that.”

I looked up at Ari. She had a point. She had talked me into going on a double date with her and Jason and Jason’s cousin Rich. I had a terrible time and thought about Gunner the whole time. I did push him into dancing with Lori….I knew that. Fuck it was just hard to admit it.

“Ari it is impossible for me to do this. I am so scared of being hurt and I have such strong feelings for him….it scares me shitless!”

Ari let out a laugh. “I am going to pull a Susan on you…..’Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I’m possible’….The great Audry Hepburn, but we won’t let mom know we didn’t quote Katharine!”

I started to laugh. Ari always had a way of making me laugh when all I wanted to do was cry.

“I guess we could use some help moving?” I said with a small smile on my face.

“YES we could! Jason is leaving for Europe today so maybe Gunner can help…huh??? Call him Ellie…you have been miserable sweets.”

“What about Jefferson. I haven’t seen him in two weeks. Would you be okay with him coming over?”

“Of course I would be! We need to get things back to normal between us. Besides, I’m happy with Jason so being around Jeff will be fine.” Ari said as she attempted to give me a sincere smile.

Bullshit! She was not happy and I could tell. When she was around Jason she seemed lost. She actually seemed happy when he told her he was going to Europe with his dad and brother on a hiking trip and was not sure how long it would be until he got back.

“Call him Ellie.”

I picked up the phone and dialed his number. The moment I heard his voice the tears started to roll down my face. Oh god how I missed him.

“Ellie……thank you for calling me sweetheart…..” Gunner said my name with such a sadness I almost couldn’t talk.

“G…Gunner……” It was all I could get out. I lost it and started crying.

“Oh baby no….please no don’t cry Ellie.”

“I’m so sorry…..I …..I just…”

“No…don’t you apologize for anything Ellie. Please don’t it was entirely my fault….don’t cry baby please.”

I sat there for another minute or two and cried. Gunner waited patiently for me to settle enough to where I could talk. This was it….I was going to put my heart out there and pray to God it would be safe with this man.

“Gunner, I’m just so scared……I’m so scared of the feelings I have for you. They are so strong and I am so afraid if I give you my heart it will shatter in a million pieces if you break it and I’ll be left like my mother. I can’t let that happen…..I won’t let that happen. But…………..I can’t live my life without you in it either. I’m so confused.”

I heard Gunner take a sharp intake of air. He slowly let out his air and I thought I heard him…..crying…..no now I was just hearing things. He started to talk but had to clear his voice.

“Ellie, I have never in my life…..ever sweetheart….experienced these feelings that I have for you. You walk into a room and I have to catch my breath at the sight of you. You flash your beautiful smile at me and there’s not a damn thing in this world I wouldn’t do for you. Your laugh moves through my body like a jolt of electricity. Your eyes captivate mine; your lips bring me to my knees. I want to know every part of you Ellie. I’m just as confused by these feelings as you are sweetheart but I want you to know something, I’ll never push you or give up on us I promise you that. Please Ellie, please just let me in. Let me prove to you how much I want to be with you. ”

Oh my…….in my deepest hidden fantasies I never dreamed of hearing anyone say such beautiful things to me. Never. My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my throat. I know Ari heard every word Gunner said because she was sitting right next to me holding my hand and she was crying just as much as I was. We both looked at each other and Ari smiled and mouthed to me ‘I told you so’. I wanted to laugh but I didn’t want Gunner to think I was laughing at what he just said to me.

“Ummm….Ellie you still there?” Ari hit me in the shoulder to snap me out of it.

I cleared my throat and tried to wipe away my tears. As soon as I wiped them away more tears just rolled down my face. “Yes Gunner I’m still here. I…..I don’t even know what to say but…but…. that was the most beautiful thing anyone as ever said to me. I’m afraid I might be dreaming and….” I couldn’t say another word.

My eyes captivate his…..my lips bring him to his knees……

Next thing I knew Ari took the phone from my hand.

“Um yeah Gunner, I think you’ve left her in a speechless state of happiness here. She is just staring off into space with a dopy smile on her face.” I felt like I was listening to Ari speak from a bubble.

You walk into a room and I have to catch my breath at the sight of you………

“We’re moving into the guest house on my parents property today since the last two weeks of apartment hunting got us nowhere but f**king depressed. We sure could use a little man power to help us move. I know Ells mentioned she wanted to see Jeff so if he is available also? Great! Y’all come on over anytime. Let me see if she is able to talk now.”

Ari handed me the phone and I just smiled before I even heard his sweet voice.

“Gunner….”

“Ellie I’m on my way over right now.” I had to let out a laugh. The butterflies in my stomach went into hyper speed mood. I had not seen him in three weeks and he was on his way over right now. I jumped up off the bed.

“Okay….I’ll see you soon!”

“Bye sweetheart” Gunner said so soft and sweet.

I started to cry again……I was really doing this. I was going to give him my heart and pray to god he guarded it with his life.

“Bye……be careful driving.” Was all I could get out and that I barely got out.

“Always.” And then he hung up.

I turned to look at Ari who flew up and wrapped me in her arms.

“OH.MY.GOD! How….. How can I feel this way about him Ari? I just met him and I feel like I’m….I’m….” I could not say it.

Ari was about to say it….”NO! Don’t say it. I’m not sure that is what this even is! Please don’t say it.”

Ari laughed and guided me into my closet that was pretty much packed up. “Let’s find you a hot moving day outfit!” We both started laughing and for the first time in three weeks it didn’t feel like I had someone sitting on my chest. I could breathe and I could smile.

Gunner was coming for me……

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

Gunner…….

I set my phone down on the coffee table and looked up to see Jeff standing there waiting for me. We were planning on going and picking up some stuff for Brad’s birthday party tonight right before I got the call from Ellie.

“Holy shit dude……..you get a part time job with f**king Hallmark that you didn’t tell me about! You almost had me in tears. I take it Ellie had a positive reaction since it sounds like you are heading over there now.” Jeff said as he walked up and slapped me on the back. “Just make her happy and treat her right Gunner. That’s all I care about.”

“You got it dude!” I said as I took his hand and slapped his arm. I was happy at this moment and I wouldn’t have cared who heard me talking to Ellie.

Jeff knows the hell I have been through these last three weeks. The first week I wouldn’t even get up to go work out. The second week I worked out so much I almost injured myself and this week all I was doing was getting drunk every night.

“You going over there right now?”

“We are going over there right now. Ellie wants to see you and they are moving into the guest house on Ari’s parents place and need help moving some shit.” I said as I walked over to grab my keys and wallet.

“Well why can’t Ari’s boyfriend Jason help them move?” Jeff said as he sat down on the sofa.

“I don’t know I didn’t ask Ari when she asked if we both could come over to help out.”

Jeff sat up straight. “Ari asked for me to come over too?”

I shook my head yes and Jeff jumped up and jogged back into his bedroom. Well I guess that solves that. I saw Jeff walking back down the hall….what the fuck?

“Dude….did you change what you were wearing?” I asked as I looked up and down at the khaki shorts and the tight ass red t-shirt he put on.

“What? I didn’t want to wear jeans if we were going to be moving…fuck it’s hot outside already.”

I just nodded my head and headed out the door. The whole drive over to Ari’s house Jeff was quiet. I knew he was excited to see Ellie since he had not seen her in about two weeks. The way his knee was bouncing up and down I would say he was excited to see Ari as well.

“Do you want to invite the girls over tonight for Brad’s party?” I asked Jeff as he looked out the window in silence.

“Um, I don’t care. I’m sure Ari will want to bring Jason. That guy was a f**king prick in high school who f**ked every girl who let him. I can’t believe she would give it up to that f**ker.”

Jeff had been kicking himself in the ass for the last month for pushing Ari into sleeping with another guy. I knew it was killing him inside. About a week ago we all went out and got trashed and when we got home Jeff and I sat in the back yard for a bit. He told me how f**ked up he had been feeling since he found out Ari gave up her virginity to this Jason guy. He blames himself for pushing her into it. He just kept saying it should have been special for her….I knew what he was talking about. I think about Ellie all the time. I pray to God I’m the one she is with for the first time. I will do everything in my goddamn power to make sure it is special for her. Of course I can’t talk to Jeff about that unless I want to get my ass kicked.

“Jeff, what’s done is done. You can’t take any of it back dude. You haven’t seen this guy in how many years. He might be a nice guy who will treat her good.” I said as I saw Jeff look over at me.

“Yeah well I guess you’re right. I just hope she’s happy.”

Jeff looked back out the window and I saw his body tense up as I pulled into Ari’s long ass driveway. Damn these people had a shit load of money. As we got closer to the house I saw Ari and Ellie outside putting stuff in their cars. My dick instantly started jumping when I saw her.