Текст книги "Wanted"
Автор книги: Kelly Elliott
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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 31 страниц)
Chapter Eight
Gunner …..
I woke up with a startle. It took me a second to realize I was still on the sofa. Oh man….my neck was killing me! I must have fallen asleep watching the movie. The movie was over and it was just replaying the main menu over and over again.
Gunner ?....... Gunner don’t go! …… N O! He does, you are wrong….. you are wrong! Gunnerrrrr !
What the hell?! I looked over and Ellie was dreaming, if you could call it that. She was calling out my name in her dream! Holy shit! She sounded scared to death. I jumped up careful not to knock her off the sofa. I pushed the coffee table a little out of the way and I knelt down next to her and started to stroke her hair……
“Ellie Sweetheart wakeup, Ellie wake up, sweetheart please wake up.”
FUCK! My heart was pounding a mile a minute. What the fuck was she dreaming about and where the fuck was I going?! I would never leave her….ever!
“Ellie Sweetheart wakeup.” Ellie’s eyes opened suddenly and she looked right at me. Next thing I knew she started to cry and sat up and threw herself into my arms. She was crying hysterically and I was really fucking freaked out. I was going to kick my ass if I hurt her in a dream. I couldn’t possible fuck this up in goddamn dream…….could I?
“OH MY GOD! Gunner……” Ellie cried out in-between sobs.
“SHHH Ellie it’s okay, everything is okay, I’m here sweetheart and I’m not going anywhere. I promise.” Just then Ellie pulled back and looked at me. Her eyes were filled with tears and she looked so goddamned confused. She shook her head no for a second and just stared at me.
“No one will ever want me Gunner, or stay with me…...ever.” She whispered.
What the hell? My god, what did her mother do to her?
“Ellie sweetheart that’s just not true.”
I pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. My god she was even beautiful when she was crying. The only thing I wanted to do at that moment was take away her fear and doubts. To show her how much she was wanted. I looked down to her soft tear soaked lips and licked my own lips. I started to lean in to kiss her and I heard the front door lock move. Ellie must have heard it also because she quickly pulled out of my embrace and sat back just staring at me with this lost look on her face.
Jeff walked in and surveyed what he saw.
“What’s going on? Ellie? Are you okay? Did you hurt your hand again?” Jeff said as he looked back and forth between the two of us.
“No….um…no” Ellie struggled to talk and was shaking her head as if trying to erase a memory. She quickly wiped away her tears and looked up at Jeff. He looked back at her and snapped his head over to me.
“What the fuck did you do to her Gunner?”
Wait……What??
I quickly stood up and turned to Jeff. “I didn’t do a damn thing! We fell asleep watching a movie and she just woke up crying out from a dream. She literally just woke up crying.”
I left out the part where she was crying out my name. I mean I was not in the mood to get my ass kicked for hurting her in a fucking dream.
“Jefferson! Gunner has been nothing but a gentleman to me all day and night! I can’t even believe you would think he would do something to make me cry!” Ellie was sobbing even more now. Jeff looked at Ellie and back at me.
“Dude man, I know you would never, it’s just I walked in here and she is crying and…..fuck.” Jeff said as he knelt down at the edge of the sofa. I pushed the coffee table back out of the way.
“Ellie honey what is going on? Why are you so upset? Is this about Ryan?” Jeff asked as he moved to sit down next to Ellie on the sofa. Ellie’s face flew up to meet mine. She looked so confused and upset. My stomach was in my throat and for some reason I felt like I was going to get sick. I needed to go outside and get some air.
“I’m going to step outside a minute and get some fresh air.” I said as I moved to the front door.
“NO!” Ellie shouted and stopped me in my tracks.
“This is NOT about Ryan, I haven’t even thought about him hardly all day. It was just, it was just…...I guess it was just a nightmare. I…..I….. really don’t even remember. I just remember waking up being scared that I was all alone and I lost…..I lost…...” She looked back up to me again and her tears started to flow again.
“What did you lose honey?” Jeff asked as he held a sobbing Ellie in his arms.
She was looking at me with such sad eyes. What the fuck was going on in her head.
“I don’t remember Jefferson. I just want to take a pain pill and go back to sleep. Maybe that is why I had the weird dream…it was the pain medicine.” Ellie said as she settled down a bit.
“Gunner, can you grab her medicine in the kitchen?” Jeff asked as he looked up at me with a sad look on his face.
“Sure, no problem.”
I walked over and grabbed the old bottle of water I had brought out earlier tonight. I looked up and saw Jeff walking Ellie back to his bedroom. He was saying something to her that I couldn’t make out. She just kept shaking her head in agreement. I would give my life to know what they were talking about.
Holy fuck…...What the hell was she dreaming about? When I said I was going to step outside she just about freaked out. Do I ask her what the dream was about? Maybe I should. I mean she was calling out my name after all. What if I was a prick in the dream? Now I needed to shake my head to clear my thoughts. I walked over to the sofa and grabbed the pillow and blanket I had brought out earlier. I started to walk back towards Jeff’s bedroom. I stopped at the door when I heard Jeff’s voice talking slow and calm.
“Ellie, you cannot let something our mother said to you when you were little dictate your entire life honey. It was bullshit. She is a miserable person who just wants those around her to be just as miserable. You DO deserve happiness honey and you will find it. Trust me.” Jefferson said as he leaned down to give Ellie a kiss on the forehead.
A surge of jealousy zipped through me. I would give anything to be the one who was comforting her right now. FUCK……I’m jealous of my own best friend? The pain I was feeling because she was hurting was killing me. I just didn’t understand it. I just meet this girl. How could I already feel so protective of her? Jeff got up and started to head out of the room but not before he stopped and gave me a slap on the back and wink.
“Hey, here is your pain pill and a fresh bottle of water Ellie.”
Ellie looked over at me and gave me a smile that just about brought me to my knees….again. Okay…when were these feelings going to stop taking over me like this?
“Thank you so much Gunner. I’m sorry; I don’t know what came over me when I woke up. Um…… did I say anything while I was asleep?”
Shit, do I tell her what she called out or act like I didn’t hear her calling out my name. “Yes, sweetheart you did. You kept calling out my name and something about someone being wrong but that’s all you said.”
I watched her face as I told her what she had said in her sleep. She frowned and looked away towards the window.
“Oh…...well, um.….. I’m sure it was probably just because you had been so attentive this evening. I don’t really even remember what I was dreaming about so…...” She looked back over at me and I swear I saw tears building in her eyes.
Bullshit. I knew damn well she remembered her dream. Why wouldn’t she tell me? What the hell was she afraid of?
“Well, it doesn’t matter Ellie. You need to get some rest sweetheart. Do you need something to prop up your hand? Or need anything else?” I asked her while I shuffled my feet back and forth like I was five years old again. She smiled at me and just shook her head no.
“Thank you again Gunner for everything but I think I’m fine. I really do appreciate it. I’m sorry to keep you up so late at night. I’m just going to try and get back to sleep. I am so glad seniors have off tomorrow!” She said with a giggle.
I walked over and turned off the side light. Well, um…...good night Ellie.”
I turned and started towards the door. I turned one last time to see her close her eyes and pull her blanket up and tuck it under her chin. She was so adorable……and I was so fucked.
I walked out and saw Jeff sitting on the sofa holding one beer up to his lips taking a long drink and another beer in his other hand.
“Must have been some date for you to bust out two of ‘em.” I said with a small laugh.
“This one is for you. I thought you might want one before heading off to bed.”
I reached over and took the beer out of his hand and sank down in the sofa and took a drink.
“I have to ask you Jeff, what the fuck did your mother say to Ellie.”
“I always thought it was her story to tell Gunner but I’m beginning to think it has affected her more than I thought. When she was seven my mom was really drunk one night. I wasn’t home so Ellie was there to take the brunt of it. Funny thing was I was spending the night at a friend’s house which I NEVER did. I just had to get away from her. I mean, I was always trying to get in between her and Ellie. Protect Ellie from our mom’s hurtful words she lashed out all the fucking time. When I left she was sober……was not even drinking a drop of alcohol. I thought things would be okay. She talked about taking Ellie to the park even.”
Jeff ran his hand through is hair and spoke something under his breath. I was pretty sure he had said fuck.
“When I got home the next morning, Ellie was sitting in the corner of the kitchen…...asleep. Still wearing the clothes she had on the day before. My mother was passed out at the kitchen table. I ran up to Ellie and as soon as she woke up and saw me…..she just started to cry. Started rambling off how our mother didn’t want her anymore, how hungry she was, how mommy told her no one would ever love her…..ever.”
Jeff stopped and put his head back on the sofa. His body started shaking.
“FUCK! If I had only just stayed home that night, it would have never have happened and Ellie wouldn’t have this messed up idea in her head that she will never be good enough for a guy. She thinks her fate is to be alone. Like my mother.”
Jeff took another swig of beer and looked at me. Tears filled his eyes and I was stunned. In the three years I had known this man I had never once saw him cry, even when he got hurt on the football field.
“Jeff man you cannot possibly blame yourself for what your mother did or said. You were ten years old for Christ sakes. That is not your fault. You couldn’t save her from every little thing.” I said as a part of me just wanted to go and have a few words with their mother.
“Gunner, be patient with her. I see how she looks at you and how you look at her. I think she is confused by what she is feeling for you. She told me tonight she is scared, she said she is having feelings for you she never felt for Ryan and she barely even knows you.”
Holy shit my heart was pounding. She admitted to Jeff she had feelings for me? Okay, where do I go with this? I felt like I was about to get sick to my stomach so I took another drink of my beer.
“Gun, I see the panic on your face dude!” Jeff said with a small laugh.
“I’m so glad you think this is funny asshole.” I took the last swig of my beer and set it on the coffee table. Christ…how did I even begin this with him?
“Jeff, I have these crazy feelings for Ellie. I mean shit; I have NEVER felt this way before in my life. First I thought it was just because you know….it was your sister. You know….you want what you can’t have and all. I mean, I literally wanted to beat the shit out of that boyfriend of hers five minutes after I met her. I kept thinking I would do anything to take away her pain while sitting in the urgent care room. I have this insane desire to take care of her. What the fuck is this?” I said as I sat back on the sofa and threw my hands into my air.
Jeff let out a laugh. “Dude…..if I could tell you I would. I know that feeling of wanting something so bad……” Jeff just stopped and stared off into space.
“What’s going on Jeff? Do you have feelings for Ari?”
“WHAT?! What the fuck makes you think that! Ari is like a little sister to me. I mean, she is, she is…..um she is annoying as hell. She talks to fucking much and she drives me nuts. The only feelings I have for that girl are feelings of annoyance!” Jeff said as he got up and took the two empty bottles of beer to the kitchen garbage.
“Okay, ‘cause I was a bit surprised at how much you two were going at each other all day. I just got the feeling there was some um…..tension there.” I said as I wiggled my eyebrows up and down.
“Fuck you dude. I had a shitty night and I’m going to sleep.” Jeff said as he headed to the bathroom.
“What? Was Rebecca not her normal bubbly cheerleader self tonight?!” I called after him. All I got in return was a middle finger shot in my direction.
CHAPTER Nine
ELLIE …..
I woke up from a total dead sleep. I sat up confused for a few minutes. Where the hell was I? My heart started to beep rapidly. I looked around and realized I was in Jefferson’s room. I looked down at my hand. I was surprised it did not hurt nearly as much as it did yesterday. I pushed back the covers and walked out into the kitchen. I heard someone and my heart started to flutter. Was it Gunner?
“Hey there honey! Did you sleep well?” Jefferson said in a very chipper mood.
“You must have had a good night last night to be so happy first thing this morning.” I replied back with a yawn. I was NOT a morning person. I sat down at the bar stool on the island.
Jefferson let out a laugh. “You never were a morning person Ells. And no, my night sucked. I couldn’t wait to get home. Did you have any more nightmares?
“Nope I slept like a baby. Soooo, what’s with this date last night? How come it sucked?” I asked as Jefferson handed me a plate of scrambled eggs and a Sunny D. He started to whip up more eggs as he looked over at me like he really didn’t want to have this conversation.
“It sucked because the girl who I went out with is a cheerleader who cannot take no for an answer. I got tired of giving her excuses so I thought it would be easier to just get it over with it and go out with her.”
“Hmmm, so there is no special girl in your heart Jefferson?” I asked as I took a bite of eggs. God I have missed his eggs! How crazy was that?
Jefferson let out a small laugh. It almost sounded like it was filled with sadness.
“Ells the only special girl I have in my heart is you honey. Always has been, always will be.” I smiled up at him and my heart melted. I was starting to put two and two together. I really was beginning to think that Jefferson just might have feelings for Ari. Maybe I was way off here but something just was not right.
Speaking of things not being right…….
“Um, where is Gunner? Is he still sleeping?” I asked, trying not to sound like I carried too much where he was.
“Shit no that cowboy is not still sleeping! Even if he is out partying until three am he is up by six am and headed out to the gym for a workout.” Jefferson said as he grabbed his plate and a bottle of Sunny D from the refrigerator. “He runs up to the gym, works out and runs back damn near almost every day. He puts my workouts to shame.”
“Oh, wow. No wonder he looks…...” I shut my mouth before the next words came out. Good God, I needed to get a grip. This was just insane how this boy, no not boy, MAN……it was insane how this man affected me. I was starting to bounce my leg up and down hoping I would not miss him before I had to leave.
“Do you have to work today Jefferson? I mean if you do I can give Ari a call to come and pick me up. I still have to go clean out my locker since I didn’t do it yesterday. I guess I need to go home today also. Not that mom would even notice I didn’t come home last night.” I said as I got up to clean off my plate.
“Yeah honey I’m sorry. Gunner’s last day was last week and today is mine. This internship has been great experience though. I’m kind of bummed out it’s over. Gunner is excited because all he wants to do is head out to his grandparent’s ranch.” Jefferson said with a smile.
From what Jefferson has said around me about Gunner, he absolutely adores his grandparent’s. Any free time he gets he heads out to their ranch. God I want to go to the country!
“It is okay. I can just give Ari a call and see if she can come and pick me up. I know she was planning on working on her speech for tomorrow.” Just the mention of Ari’s name and I saw Jefferson tense up. YEP…..there was something there whether he wanted to admit or not.
I heard the front open and I looked up. Holy fucking hell I think I’m going to faint.
Gunner came walking into the kitchen, no shirt on, sweating……really sweating….looking……really H.O.T. I had to remind myself to breath. FUCK ME this guy was to good looking for his own good. Oh gawwd his tattoo was so fucking sexy….holy hell…he had two! My eyes traveled up and down his perfect body.
Jefferson walked up and took his finger and used it to close my lower jaw.
“Breathe sweet girl….breathe.” Jefferson whispered in my ear. It snapped me out of my temporary moment of insanity. I mean really…no one deserves to have a body that fucking amazing.
“Hey, morning Ellie. How did you sleep? You need anything, pain pills or anything?” Gunner asked as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed a water from the refrigerator.
“You headed off to work Jeff?”
“Yep, leaving in a few minutes, can’t believe this is my last day. Hey Gunner, Ellie needs a ride back up to the school to clean out her locker and then she needs to head home. You busy? Would you mind giving her a lift?” Jefferson asked as he looked at me with a shit eating grin on his face. I knew exactly what he was doing. I can’t believe my own brother was selling me out……..bastard.
Before Gunner could even answer I shot back, “No that’s okay, I will give Ari a call, she can come and pick me it is no big deal.” I said as I gave Jefferson a dirty look and turned to look at Gunner. I had to quickly look away. Every time I looked at him I got a dull ache between my legs. Jesus, I needed to just get away.
“Nonsense Ellie, it would be my pleasure to give you a ride swee…..um….I can give you a ride to where ever you need to go.” Gunner said with the sweetest smile. It was not lost on me how he was about to call me sweetheart and stopped.
SHIT! I can’t believe I even said anything last night. Fuck!
“Yeah, besides, I thought you said Ari was working on her speech today for the graduation tomorrow.” Jefferson said as he started to walk to his bedroom. I sure as hell hoped that he could feel the daggers I was throwing his way with my eyes.
“That is very sweet of you but I need to go to the school, clean out my locker and then head home.” I’m sure you have other things you need to do.” I said as I turned to see him staring at me.
Gulp…..it was hard to swallow….hard to even think with him standing there with no fucking shirt on looking at me like that. Squeezing of legs….again……
“Nope…not a damn thing to do but take you to clean out your locker and then home, sounds like those are my plans for the day. Maybe we can even stop and get a coffee at Halcycon’s after we clean out your locker.” Gunner said as he started to walk past me. He stopped and pushed piece of my hair behind my ear. He sure liked doing that……He brought his hand down and ran it lightly down my jaw line.
Oh.My.God. I literally felt a jolt of electricity run from where he touched me down to my toes. I was barely able to open my mouth let alone talk.
“Okay, um….yeah. I um, I’ve always wanted to go there.” I said with a smile.
Oh shit, I felt the blush moving up my face. Gunner just laughed and tapped my nose with his finger. “Damn sweetheart, you’re cute as a button when you blush. I’m going to go take a shower and get ready to leave. Give me a few minutes and then we can head out okay?”
“Sure, I still need to get ready myself. So….okay…meet ya back out here, so yeah, we can head out after that.”
Holy hell I just needed to shut the hell up. At least he called me sweetheart again. My stomach got butterflies the moment he said it.
I got up to head back to Jefferson’s bedroom to get ready to go. Oh my gosh I sure as shit hope I had something decent to wear packed. Jefferson came walking down the hall dressed in dress pants and a button up shirt and a tie. WOW….I had to smile at how good looking my own brother was. He just grabbed me and spun me around!
“You have a good day today sis okay?! I’ll talk to you tonight and hey, invite whoever you want to the party tomorrow night. Talk to you later honey okay?” He leaned down and kissed me on my cheek.
Just then my I heard my cell phone ringing so I ran into the bedroom to grab it.
“Hello”
“Sooooo…..bitch tell me how it went last night!! I can’t imagine much happened since Jeff was there the whole time.” Ari didn’t waste a minute just jumping right into it.
I just laughed. Never one to not just get right to the point that was my best friend……. Arianna.
“Well, actually Jefferson went out last night so Gunner and I ended up watching a movie.” Silence……..
“Ari are you still there?”
“Oh yeah…… sorry about that I’m still here. I guess I was just shocked to hear that Jeff would have gone out and left you alone with Gunner. Wow. He must really trust this guy to leave him alone with is little sister.” I had never heard so much disappointment in Ari’s voice. It broke my heart that she was so stuck on Jefferson and he just would not give her the time of day.
I started to speak again when I saw Gunner walk out of his bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist………he had walked into Jefferson’s bathroom and came right back out with something in his hand. Then I heard his bedroom door shut. Next thing I knew I heard a loud thump on the floor. I tore my eyes away from the door and looked on the floor.
Oh holy shit I dropped my phone! “Ari???”
“Jesus H. Christ, what the fuck Ellie? I mean I was talking and then next thing I know I hear a loud noise.” Ari was yelling in my ear.
“Can you be quite just one second Ari….” I said as I got up and shut the bedroom door all the way.
“Holy shit Ari…..Gunner just walked out of his bedroom wearing nothing but a towel! I mean I thought the sight of him walking in shirtless and sweaty was enough to make me go into shock….this just fucking topped it all. This guy is KILLING ME! I’ve never had these feelings before Ari and I’m starting to get freaked out. I even had a dream about him last night.” I whispered as I went back and started looking through my bag. SHIT! What was I going to wear? Just then I saw a short denim skirt and a light blue tank top.
“Ari did you put your outfit in my bag?”
Ari started to laugh. “I sure as shit did! I had it next to your bag so I threw it in there yesterday…you never know when you are going to need a cute little outfit.”
“Oh my god you just saved me! Gunner is taking me to school to clean out my locker and then downtown to Halcycon’s for coffee. I didn’t have a thing to wear. You are my hero!” I said as I stripped down to just my tee shirt.
“Of course I am….the only thanks I want are all the juicy details of this….coffee date….you are going on with hotty Gunner. How hot did he look with his tee shirt off ‘cause yesterday he looked mighty fine with the tee shirt on and if my ears just heard right you have now seen him twice with no shirt on….once when we was all sweaty from doing just what??!” Ari said as she laughed her ass off.
“First off, it is not a date, he is just doing me a favor by taking me to school and then home. Second, oh hell yeah he looked hotter than hot with his shirt off! He has a tribal tattoo just like Jefferson but it starts on the right side of his MASSIVE chest, goes over his shoulder and then down his arm a bit. He also has a tattoo on his abs…. I think it is the brand for his grandfather’s ranch. It was an M inside a triangle.” I said as I slowly opened the door back up and ran into Jefferson’s bathroom.
“Oh holy hells bells…..Okay if that does not sound sexier than shit! Speaking of sexy, is Jeff dating someone now?” Ari asked trying to sound all casual but I knew damn well the moment I mentioned Jefferson and date in the same sentence her world stopped spinning.
“No, I guess it was some cheerleader who would not leave him alone until they went out. Listen, I really have to jump in the shower really quick. I’ll call you when I get home! Get that speech written girl. Oh, Jefferson said we could invite a few friends over tomorrow night so if there is anyone you want to invite. Make sure Amanda and Heather know about it. Amanda will have fun at a party full of college guys! Just keep it to a few close friends of ours okay?” I started up the shower and took off my tee shirt, bra and panties.
“Alright girl, I will get on it. Haavveee fuuunnnnn! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do! HA!” Ari said as she started to laugh.
“Bye Ari…..”
Just as I was about to hop in the shower I realized I had forgotten my razor….if I was wearing a skirt I was doing a quick once over on my legs. I grabbed the towel off the rack and wrapped it around my body. I opened the door just a tad. Gunner’s door was shut and it sounded like he was on the phone. Should be safe to make a quick run and grab my razor. I bolted out the door and into Jefferson’s bedroom. I grabbed my razor out of my bag and turned back to run back into the bathroom. Gunner’s bedroom door was literally almost directly across from Jefferson’s bathroom. As soon as I made it out the door, Gunner came walking out his door, still on the phone and still in his fucking towel! I slammed right into him. I don’t know who was more surprised or more embarrassed because he turned the shade of the red towel that was, thank God, still wrapped around me and I am pretty damn sure my face was just as red if not more.
Gunner dropped his phone and I dropped my razor. Unfortunately we both bent down at the same time to pick up our stuff.
“FUCK!” We both shouted as our heads hit.
“HOLY FUCK Ellie….I thought you were in the shower!” Gunner said as his eyes took a sweep from the top of my body to the bottom. I was pretty sure he liked what he saw because he started to lick his lips and there went his goddamn hand through his hair! Oh holy shit…….now his hair was wet and it was even hotter.
Oh lord…I think my legs are about to go out from underneath me. I started to sway a little bit. Gunner reached out and grabbed me.
“Ellie, are you okay sweetheart? Does your head hurt? Do you need to sit down? Dammit did I hurt your hand?” Gunner eyes were filled with so much worry and………love? No….he was just worried that he hurt me that was all. I mean my God look at him. What could he possible see in me?
“Um….Oh Shit! Shit! Shit!….Gunner I’m SO sorry. I thought it would be safe if I ran out and grabbed something I’m so so sorry. Um, no my head and my hand…they are fine really.” I said as I looked down to where his hands were still holding onto both my arms. He followed my eyes and immediately dropped his hands.
“Good, good, I um, I’m glad you are not hurt.” He said as he smiled down at me. Fuck. A. Duck.
I smiled and started to walk into the bathroom. As I was shutting the door Gunner was just standing there….frozen. Once the bathroom door was all the way shut I had to lean against it for support. Damn….if only his towel had dropped. I had to giggle that I even thought that. Hey, I was human after all. The dull ache in-between my legs was starting to become a familiar thing when I was around this guy.
I jumped in the shower and tried to go as fast as I could. Just the thought of spending more time alone with Gunner gave me butterflies. I had to remember though; we could be nothing more than friends. A guy who was that good looking and had that much of a rockin’ body, yeah, he would never waste his time on someone like me. I need to just keep telling myself that. Now if only my body would listen.
