Wanted (37 page)

I lo
ok
ed 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
Au
dry
Hepburn,
but we won’t let mom
know we didn’t quote Katha
rine!”

I started to laugh. Ari always had a way of making me laugh w
hen 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 attemp
ted 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 a
nd 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 st
rong 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
the
se
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 ele
ctricity. Your eyes captivate mine
; your lips bring me to my knees. I want to k
now every part of you Ellie. I’
m just as confused by these feelings as you are
sweetheart
bu
t I want you to know
something, I’
ll never push you or
give up on us I p
romise 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 fantasie
s I never dreamed of hearing anyone say such beautiful things to me
.
Never.
My hear
t 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 lo
ok
ed 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 laugh
ing 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 t
he 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 to
ok
the phone from my hand.

“Um yeah Gunner,
I think you’
ve left he
r 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 listen
ing 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 fucking 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 g
od 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 lo
ok
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 breath
e
and I could smile.

Gunner was coming for me……

CHAPTER
TWENTY EIGHT

Gunner…….

I set my phone down on the coffee ta
ble and lo
ok
ed 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 fucking 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 slap
ped 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 to
ok
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
. Ell
ie 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 o
ver 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 sho
ok
my head yes and Jeff jumped up and jogged back into his bedroom.
Well I guess that solves that. I saw Jeff walking bac
k down the hall….what the fuck?

“Dude….did you change what you were wearing?” I asked as I lo
ok
ed up and down at the khaki s
horts 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 J
eff 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 lo
ok
ed out the window in silence.

“Um, I don’t care. I’m sure Ari will wa
nt to bring Jason. That guy was a fucking prick in high school who fucked every girl who let him.
I can’t believe she would give it up to that fucker.”

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. H
e told me
how fucked 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 t
his guy in how many
years.
He might be a nice guy who will treat her good.” I said as I saw Jeff lo
ok
over at me.

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

Jeff lo
ok
ed 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.