Текст книги "Faithful"

Автор книги: Kelly Elliott

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Текущая страница: 10 (всего у книги 25 страниц)

I watched as Ellie bent down and kissed Alex for the fourth time.

“Ellie, sweetheart, let’s go!” I called out.

Grams and Gramps started laughing.

“Ellie, I raised two boys, darling. I’ve got this,” Grams said before she kissed Ellie on the cheek.

Ellie skipped over to my truck. I opened the door, and she jumped in.

“Let’s go cut a rug, Mr. Mathews!” she said with a smile.

After we parked and got out of the truck, I heard Ari call out, “Ellie!”

Ellie’s face brightened as she waved at Ari.

“Hey, bitch! Dropping the baby off two days in a row! Aren’t you brave?” Ari said as she winked at me.

“Shut up, Ari. You’re gonna make me turn around and go back and get her,” Ellie said as she pouted her lips.

I grabbed her and pulled her chin up to me. “I’ve arranged to have Grams keep Alex all night,” I said as I winked at her.

“Really?” Ellie gave me a wicked look.

“Six weeks, baby.” I captured her lips with mine.

“Oh, for Christ’s sake, I don’t need to hear that shit!” Jeff grabbed Ari’s hand and headed into the Luckenbach dance hall.

Ellie and I both started laughing.

Once we got in, I spotted Josh and Heather on the dance floor. I smiled as I watched the two of them. When Ellie had told me that Heather was pregnant, my heart just broke. Heather had gone to the doctor yesterday morning and confirmed it all.

“Ells, do you think it’s a good idea for Heather to not tell Josh about the baby?” I asked.

Ellie turned and looked at me with such sadness in her eyes. “Ari and I talked about it with her. She wants to wait just a little longer. With Josh getting little bits and pieces of his memory back, she’s holding out hope that he’ll get it all back.” She turned and looked at them both dancing.

Kenny Chesney’s “Don’t Happen Twice” was playing, and Josh had the biggest smile on his face.

I smiled and let out a laugh. “That boy is head over heels in love with her.”

Ellie reached up and took my face in her hands. “He is…just like I’m head over heels in love with you. I love you, Gunner.”

I leaned down and kissed her so softly. God, she tastes like heaven.

“How sweet are you two?”

I pulled my lips away and looked behind me to see Victoria standing there. Oh fucking great.

I turned back and winked at Ellie. “Let’s dance, sweetheart.” I grabbed her hands and led her away from Victoria. That girl is nothing but trouble. I couldn’t even believe she had shown up after Heather told her to fuck off yesterday.

After dancing for at least four songs, Ellie looked exhausted. “Gunner, can we grab a drink and sit for a bit?” Ellie asked as she made her way over to Heather and Ari.

I noticed Victoria trying to talk to Josh. I glanced over to where the girls were sitting. Heather, Ari, and Ellie were all shooting daggers at Victoria. As I laughed, I felt someone slap my back.

“I feel really sorry for Tori if she messes with these girls tonight. Ari’s in a mood!”

I smiled as I looked at my best friend. “Congratulations, Jeff.” I held out my hand.

He smiled so big that it made me smile harder.

“Fucking great, isn’t it? I can’t believe she’s pregnant again.” Jeff glanced back toward Ari. Then, he looked at the dance floor. “What the fuck?”

I turned and saw Josh dancing with Victoria. What the fuck is he thinking? “That stupid fucker. What the hell is he doing?”

“At least it’s a fast song, and he’s staying a good distance away from her,” Jeff said.

I looked over at the girls. Heather was smiling as she stared at Josh and Victoria dancing together.

Why is she smiling?

She turned and said something to Ari. Ari jumped up and did a fist pump before she started walking over to the DJ.

Ah hell.

I smiled when I saw Jeff was watching Ari.

Turning to me, he said, “Shit, they are up to something.”

We walked back over to our tables, and Ellie jumped up.

“Okay, listen. There was a song we made a dance to in high school. Well, really, Heather made up the dance ’cause she had taken dance lessons for years,” Ellie rattled off.

“Wait, I thought Ari took dance lessons,” I said.

“She did, but so did Heather. Focus, Gunner!” she said.

I let out a laugh. “Okay. Sorry, baby.”

“So, anyway…just don’t really pay attention to how we dance here in a second, okay?”

“Oh motherfucker. Ells, what are y’all gonna dance to?”

Just then, Josh walked up, shaking his head. “Don’t bitch at me. I see the look you’re giving me, Jeff. She wouldn’t leave me alone, so I asked Heather if I could dance with her once.” He rolled his eyes as he sat down.

I handed him a beer, and then I glanced behind Ellie to see Ari walking up with a smile.

She grabbed Ellie. “It’s up next!” She walked over to Jeff, straddled him, gave him a kiss, and told him she loved him.

“That can’t be a good sign,” Jeff said with a laugh.

The three girls walked onto the dance floor and started dancing to the song playing.

Josh looked at us, confused. “What’s going on?” he asked, looking between Jeff and me.

“I think Heather is about to make a statement,” I said as “Give It Up to Me” by Shakira started.

“Oh fuck,” Jeff and I said at the same time.

Ari started first, then Ellie, and then Heather. In all the times I’d ever seen these girls dance, I’d never seen them move their hips like they were moving them now.

“Dude, did you know they could move like that?” I asked Jeff as I turned toward him.

He had his beer frozen to his lips. I glanced over at Josh, and I’d be damned if his mouth wasn’t hanging open. He looked shocked as shit.

I turned back to the girls. I couldn’t help but notice that Heather really knew how to dance. She was dancing just like Shakira. Her hips were moving all over the place.

Then, I looked at Ellie. Holy motherfucking shit.

“Holy shit,” Jeff said.

“Um,” was all Josh could get out.

I couldn’t pull my eyes away from Ellie. I was thanking God that we’d hit our six-week mark. I moved around to adjust myself.

Once the song ended, the girls walked back over to us.

Ellie came and sat on my lap. She raised her eyebrows at me as she smiled.

“Motherfucker. Ari…are you trying to kill me?” Jeff asked.

Ari laughed. “God, I haven’t danced like that in years. I didn’t know my hips could still move like that!”

“If I knew your hips moved like that, we could have—”

“Eww! Stop, Jefferson! Just stop!” Ellie scrunched up her nose.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Baby, I think we can skip Matt Kimbrow and just go home!” I said with a shit-eating grin.

Ellie threw her head back and laughed. “Oh no, Gunner. I’m gonna have me a good time tonight!”

Just then, Selena Gomez’s “Come and Get It” started playing. Heather was standing in front of a still stunned Josh. When she reached her hand out, he took it, and they made their way to the dance floor.

“Get it, girl!” Ari called out.

I looked at Ari. “Did you ask for that song, too?”

Ari smiled and winked at me. “Fuck yeah, I did!”

I looked back out, and those two were really dancing. With the way Heather was moving up against Josh, I felt sorry for the poor bastard.

“Damn…I’m even getting turned on by watching them dance!” Ari busted out.

Ellie started laughing. “You’re pregnant. Everything makes you horny when you’re pregnant!”

“True dat!” Ari said as she stood up. “Dance with me,” she said to Jeff.

“You wanna dance?” I asked Ellie.

She shook her head and moved a little on my lap. I smiled as I pulled her closer to me.

I fucking love this girl.

I’d never seen Ellie have so much fun. She loved the Matt Kimbrow Band. They were playing “If It All Goes Right,” and Ellie, Heather, and Ari were dancing.

Every now and then, she would look over and smile at me.

Jeff had been pouting ever since Scott showed up. Scott had danced once with Ari, and Josh had practically held Jeff down the whole time.

I had to laugh at how Scott loved to get Jeff worked up. Scott had absolutely no interest in Ari, but he loved to torment the fuck out of Jeff.

“So, Josh, I hear you’re gonna be spending the night with Heather!” Jeff yelled over to Josh as I was sitting in between them.

The smile that spread across Josh’s face said it all.

“This the night?” I bumped him with my shoulder.

He turned to me, took a drink of his beer, and winked.

I leaned in closer, so he could hear me. “You remember anything else?”

“I don’t think so. I mean, I keep having dreams and shit. Stuff will pop up in my head, especially when I’m with her. I don’t know if they’re memories or not. I sure as fuck hope they’re memories,” Josh said with a laugh.

Just then, I felt someone put a hand on my shoulder. I looked around to see Victoria standing there.

Oh great. Just what we need is for her to start some shit.

It wasn’t lost on me how she had been watching Ellie and me all night.

“You need something, Victoria?” Josh asked.

“Well, since I can’t have you, Josh, I was thinking maybe Gunner here would want to pick up where we left off all those years ago. You remember, don’t you, Gunner? If my memory is any good, I’m pretty sure you said it was the best fucking blow job you ever got. That statement still hold true?”

“You fucking bitch!” Ari said.

When I turned my head back toward the dance floor, I saw Ellie standing there with Ari. Ellie had tears in her eyes, and Ari looked like she was about to go apeshit.

Fuck. Me.

Victoria started laughing. “Oh, now, now, Ari. Don’t worry. You’re the lucky one. You see, Jeff here…he would never let me get any further with him than a quick grab of his dick.” Victoria looked at Jeff and winked.

Josh stood up. “Listen, Tori, I think you better leave.”

Ari walked up to Victoria and got right in her face. “You know what? I’ve just about had it with all you fucking bitches. You just keep talking, but you don’t ever say shit. You can’t find a man of your own, so you try to take others. Women like you are nothing but pathetic, lowlife, douche twat, desperate, slut, bobblehead whores who have no respect for themselves or anyone else for that matter!” Ari balled her hands into fists.

Victoria stood there and just stared at Ari. “You know what I say to that, honey? Go fuck yourself.” She smiled.

Ari glared at Victoria. “Don’t call me honey.”

Before I could even make a move to stop her, Ari reached back and then knocked the shit out of Victoria.

“Ari!” Ellie and Jeff both called out.

Jeff was next to Ari so fast that I didn’t even see him go by me. He grabbed Ari’s arm and tried to pull her away. She had hit Victoria so hard that Victoria stumbled backward and fell. Ari pulled her arm out of Jeff’s grip.

She walked up to Victoria and stood over her. “The only person who calls me honey is my dad. I have one piece of advice for you. Stay the fuck away from all of us.” Ari took a beer off the table and poured it onto Victoria.

Victoria jumped up, screaming.

Jeff grabbed Ari and reached for her purse. He looked back at me. “I’m taking her home.”

Everything was happening so fast that I didn’t even notice when Ellie had grabbed her purse to head out with them.

I ran and took her by the arm. “Ellie! Where the fuck are you going?”

“I’m going to have Jeff drop me off at Garrett and Emma’s house,” she said.

“Ellie, come on, that was so fucking long ago, way before you. This has nothing to do with you and me.”

“Really, Gunner? If it was so long ago and meant so little to you, why didn’t you tell me about it the minute she started coming on to you yesterday?”

Fuck! I didn’t think Ellie had noticed how Victoria kept flirting with me yesterday. “Ellie, sweetheart, please don’t do this. Please don’t bring up something from my past that is meaningless. You’re my life, Ellie. You and Alex. You know this!”

“Ellie, are you coming with us or not?” Ari asked.

Ellie looked at me and gave me a weak smile. Thank God she’s seeing how silly she’s being.

“I’m gonna stay. Put ice on your hand, sweets,” Ellie said to Ari.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Ari said with a smile before she started to leave with Jeff.

“I love you, Ells. You know how much I love you,” I said.

She smiled and nodded. “Oh shit! I have Jeff’s truck keys.”

When Ellie turned to go after them, she ran right into Jessie, Drake’s daughter. Aaron, Jenny, and Dewey were following right behind Jessie.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Ellie said.

Jessie started laughing. “No worries, Ellie. How are you?”

Ellie glanced at me and then back at Jessie. “I’m good. Thank you for asking.”

When Ellie looked back at me, I instantly remembered how jealous Ellie had gotten when she saw me talking to Jessie in the barn.

“Hey, Gunner! Shit, you remember all the good times we had here?” Dewey said with a smile.

“Yeah, good times.” I smiled at him.

“Fuck…you and Jess had your first kiss here, didn’t y’all?”

Ah shit. Dewey and his big mouth.

Jessie started laughing. “Yep! That’s right. One of a few kisses!” She winked at me and then looked at Ellie. “We were in high school. It was so very long ago.”

Ellie slowly turned and glared at me.

Oh, son of a bitch. Why is this happening?

“Like a sister…right, Gunner?” Ellie turned and walked off.

“Ellie!”

I followed her out of the dance hall as Jeff was about to walk back in.

Then, he saw Ellie coming out. “Oh, good. You got my keys, Ells?”

“Will you drop me off at Emma and Garrett’s place, please?” She handed him the keys and walked to the truck.

“Ellie! Stop!” I jogged over and grabbed her arm. “Why are you acting like this? All this shit happened years ago, Ellie. Stop being so damn jealous over nothing.”

“What else have you not told me, Gunner? Any other girls gonna walk in tonight and say how they kissed you or fucked you?”

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. This is so stupid. “Ellie, this was so long ago. It was before you and me, and really, the way you’re behaving is stupid and childish. We’re married with a baby for fuck’s sake.”

The moment I saw the tears forming in her eyes, I felt sick to my stomach. “Wait, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to just say that—”

“Just stop. I’m leaving. I’ll see you in the morning.” She turned and jumped into the back of the truck.

I looked over at Jeff as he shrugged his shoulders.

“Is she pissed about Victoria? I thought she got over it.”

I ran my hands through my hair as I headed over to him. “Fucking Dewey mentioned how Jessie and I had our first kiss here. The first time Ellie saw me talking to Jessie, she got jealous, and I told her Jessie was like a sister to me when I was growing up.”

“Uh-huh. A sister you kiss?”

I let out a breath and shook my head. “It was high school, Jeff. I’d say that’s far enough back that she shouldn’t worry!”

“Dude, I would think it has more to do with the fact that you told her you were only friends, and now, she just found out that you kissed her.” Jeff raised his eyebrow at me. “Y’all date?”

I looked back at the dance hall. Fuck, this is not happening. I turned back toward the truck. Jeff had given Ari the keys, and she had started his truck, so there was no way Ellie could hear us talking.

“For a bit, right before I started UT, but we weren’t meant to be anything other than friends,” I said.

“You sleep with her?”

I looked at him, and the moment our eyes met, I didn’t have to give him my answer. He shook his head and walked toward the driver’s side of the truck. I stood there and watched them drive off with a sick feeling in my stomach.

“I take it you never told Ellie we were more than friends?” Jessie said from behind me.

“No, no, I didn’t, Jessie. The first time she saw us together, she got insanely jealous. I didn’t think it would matter. It was so long ago.”

Jessie let out a laugh. “Yeah, it was a long time ago. You were never worried she might ask about the first time you had sex?”

I turned and looked at her. “No. Why the fuck would she ever ask me that?” I walked past her to head back into the dance hall. I need a damn drink.

When I saw Scott at the bar, I walked over to him and slapped him on the back. Jessie came in right behind me, and I noticed when Scott did a double take at her.

“Holy shit, is that little Jessie Rhodes?”

“Yep.”

“Damn. She grew up…and she looks like a girl. I mean, she looks like a woman…a very hot woman.” Scott took a drink of his beer.

I glanced back toward Jessie. She was talking to Josh and Heather, and I assumed Heather was getting her caught up on everything.

Scott and I talked at the bar for a while longer. I lost count on how many beers I’d downed. Scott kept looking over toward where Jessie and Heather were talking.

“You should go say hi and catch up with each other. Didn’t you like her for a bit in high school? Before Chelsea? Jessie always had the hots for you.” I downed my beer.

Scott turned to me. “What? How do you know that?”

I looked at him and smiled as I stumbled back. Why is the fucking room spinning? “When I fucked her, she called out your name.”

Scott shook his head. “Nice, Gunner. You’re fucking trashed, dude.” He grabbed my arm and walked us over toward our table.

“Looks like Gunner got himself drunk. I’m gonna take him home. Any volunteers on who can drive his truck back?” Scott asked.

I tried to stand perfectly still. Shit, I haven’t been this wasted in a long-ass time.

Jessie jumped up so fast that it caused me to take a step back. I ended up tripping over a chair, and I started to fall backward, but Scott and Josh jumped up and caught me.

“Jesus H. Christ, Gun. How much have you had to drink?” Josh asked.

“Well, he just downed at least six beers in the last thirty minutes while we were talking at the bar. Not sure how many he had before I got here,” Scott said.

“I’ll drive his truck!” Jess announced. “I mean, I think he should drive with you, and I’ll follow y’all in his truck.”

I looked at Scott and raised my eyebrows. I was just about to say, I told you so, when he grabbed me, and we headed out the door.

Shit, I wish the room would stop spinning.

I was pacing back and forth in the living room, trying to remain calm. For the last thirty minutes, I’d been trying to call Gunner. When the bartender from the dance hall answered Gunner’s phone, I was stunned. I was guessing that Gunner must have dropped it or left it on the bar.

Where is he?

I grabbed my cell and called Heather.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey, sweets. Is Gunner home yet?”

“Um…no. When did he leave?”

“Well, he was really wasted, so Scott was giving him a ride home, and Jessie was following them in Gunner’s truck.”

Oh, just great. I can’t believe he got drunk. “Well, I guess that’s my fault he got drunk. I acted like an insecure, childish brat,” I said.

“No, sweets. He really shouldn’t have lied to you about Jessie,” Heather said.

“Where are you?” I asked.

“Oh, um…Josh and I are, um…well, we’re heading home…or I mean, back to my house.”

I let out a laugh. It was going to be their home before the accident happened. Josh had almost his whole apartment packed up and ready to move in with Heather. My heart started aching for them both.

“Okay, sweets. Well, drive safely and call me tomorrow.” I hung up and started pacing again.

I’d decided to have Jeff just drop me off at home. I had hoped Gunner would have just come home right after I left, so I hadn’t bothered to pick up Alex. I’d thought we could make up. Gah! I’d wanted him so bad all night, and then that stupid Victoria had gone off and ruined everything.

Just then, I heard two vehicles pulling up. I didn’t have any of the lights on, so I walked up to the window and peeked out. Scott was helping Gunner out of the truck, and then it looked like Gunner was pushing Scott away. Jessie walked up and grabbed Gunner by the arm. Then, Scott and Jessie started to bring Gunner up toward the front door. I was just about to open the door for them when I heard Gunner talking to Jessie.

“I’m really sorry I’s your first, Jessme.”

Her first? Her first kiss? Her first love? Her first crush?

“Drew, you’re really drunk, and you need to sleep this off before you talk to Ellie. Do you think she’s asleep?”

“Shheee’s probably at my Graaaammm’s house,” he said with a slur.

“Oh, okay. Well, you can make it inside the house and to bed on your own, right?”

“Don’t worry, Jessme. I won’t try anything on yous. I wuv my wife very much.”

I rolled my eyes.

Jessie laughed. “Drew, I know you better than that, and I know how much you love Ellie. Just do me a favor. Always be honest with her, Drew. Honesty is so important in a relationship.”

When I heard a bang on the door, I jumped back.

“Jesus, Gunner, be careful,” Scott said.

Gunner started laughing. “Don’t worry, Jessme. If shheee ever asks who I fucked and wost my virgin…virginity to behind the barn at sixteen, I’ll be sures to be honest and tell her it was yous.”

I threw my hand up to my mouth. Oh. My. God. No!

“Nice, Gunner. Really nice, you asshole. You make a lousy drunk,” Scott said.

“Fuck off, Drew,” Jessie said.

I stepped back away from the door. My hands were shaking. He slept with Jessie? She was his first? That motherfucker!

I reached out, grabbed the door, and opened it as fast as I could. I stepped back when I saw Gunner come flying into the house. When he landed, he hit his head on the tile floor.

Oh shit!

“Motherfucker! What in the hell just happened?” Gunner sat up and grabbed his head.

When I looked over at Jessie, I saw she was looking at me. I noticed a tear rolling down her face as she held her hand up to her mouth.

She slowly pulled it away. “Oh god, Ellie…”

Scott helped Gunner stand up, and then he asked where our bedroom was. I told him and then turned back toward Jessie.

“Was he your first?” I asked.

She nodded, and I sucked in a breath of air. Fuck.

“Ellie, it wasn’t anything like that. I mean, we weren’t meant to be together. We were friends…almost like brothers and sisters even.”

“Uh-huh…brothers and sisters who sleep together?”

“Drew and I started talking about it when we were behind the barn one day. He mentioned he’d never had sex, and I couldn’t believe it. I mean, all the girls around here loved it whenever he came to town, and they were always throwing themselves at him. I was only fifteen at the time, and well…one thing led to another, and we—”

I shook my head. “I really don’t want the details of the first time my husband ever had sex.” I needed air, so I walked out onto the porch.

“Of course. I’m sorry. It’s just that…well, Ellie, it didn’t mean anything to either one of us. We were curious, that’s all. I’d heard my brothers go on and on about it, and well…I wanted to know. I begged Drew. I told him if my first time was going to be with anyone, I wanted it to be with one of my best friends.”

I spun around and looked at her. “Funny because most girls want it to be with someone they love!” I shouted at her.

“I know, Ellie, I know. I wasn’t a normal girl. I was such a tomboy, and I didn’t want to be a virgin when I started school, so…I guess you could say we both used each other.” She looked away. “Believe me, I think back to that afternoon, and I wish I could take it back. I wish I would have saved myself for when I met the man of my dreams. But I can’t take it back, and I’ll never experience that magical moment…ever. I cried afterward, and I told Drew how stupid I was for talking him into doing that with me. I felt so guilty, and I kept saying how I’d never get my special moment. He apologized to me for five years after that. Every time he saw me…he would say how sorry he was that I never got my special moment.”

Oh my god. No wonder he wanted to make our first time together so special. “That must have hurt you for him to say he fucked you behind the barn.” I walked closer to her and took her into my arms.

She started crying. “He didn’t mean that, Ellie. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. But you should know everything.” She pulled back and looked at me as she took a deep breath. “When he came here the summer before he went to college, we started dating. It was for a very short amount of time, and I think he only did it out of guilt. I don’t think either one of us wanted to date each other. It was awkward. Maybe we were just trying to make each other feel better. I was actually totally in love with one of his friends,” she said with a laugh.

Do I really want to hear this?

“We only lasted for a month and a half.”

“What happened?”

She looked away and then back at me with a weak smile. “Um…I called out someone else’s name while we were having…um…”

They dated…and slept together more than once. I think I’m gonna puke.

“He told me y’all were just friends,” I said, tears sliding down my face.

“Ellie, why would he tell you? Why would he want to hurt you or make you doubt him?”

I let out a gruff laugh. “Well, I can tell you I certainly doubt him now!” I turned away.

“Please don’t, Ellie. He loves you so much. Please don’t let something that happened so long ago get in the way of something so beautiful.”

She was right, and I knew it, but it didn’t mean I had to like it.

We sat down on the porch swing and talked for a few minutes longer. I slowly started to feel like an insecure fool again.

“Can I ask you something, Jessie? And you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

“Of course you can!”

I peeked up at her and smiled. “Whose name did you call out?”

Even in the dark, I could see the blush on her face.

She looked back at the door and then at me. “Uh…Scott’s.”

I let out a gasp. “Oh my god! No!” I grabbed her hand.

She smiled and nodded. “Oh my god, Ellie, I’ve never told anyone that! I’ve never told anyone at all about how I feel for Scott. Only Drew knew.”

“Wait. What? How you feel? Oh, Jessie…are you still in love with him?”

She gave me a weak smile as she nodded.

“Why haven’t you told him or gone after him?”

“He’s been dating the same girl since high school. It’s the reason I left Mason. I couldn’t stand seeing them together. It drove me crazy. Then, I heard they were getting married, so I just knew I would never come home. I’m almost done with vet school though, and I wanted nothing more than to work around here, but—”

I jumped up. “Jessie! He’s not getting married!”

Jessie stood up and grabbed my hands. “What? How do you know?”

I let out a laugh. “Okay, Scott loves to torment the hell out of Jefferson. Jefferson thinks Scott has the hots for Ari, but he doesn’t at all. Jefferson told me tonight that Scott’s fiancée left him! She told him she didn’t love him.”

Jessie dropped my hands and put her hands up to her mouth. Then, she started pacing.

“Jessie, what’s wrong? I thought that would make you happy?”

She stopped and looked at me. “Oh, Ellie, it makes me very happy…and scared as shit, too. Scott’s only ever looked at me as Dewey and Aaron’s tomboy sister.”

I looked her up and down. She was breathtaking. She was about my height and weight, but she had blonde hair and the lightest of green eyes. And at the moment…she was totally freaked out.

Well, shit. I sure don’t need to worry about her having feelings for Gunner. “Um…well, I can tell you that you’re certainly not a tomboy anymore, sweets.”

“I would have to agree,” Scott said from behind me.

I closed my eyes and wondered how long he had been standing there. Jessie spun around, and her mouth just dropped open.

“Who said you were a tomboy?” Scott asked.

“What?” Jessie and I said at the same time.

Scott laughed. “Ellie, you said she wasn’t a tomboy anymore. Who said you were, Jessie?”

“I…um…well, nobody said it. I was just…um…I just…”

Oh. My. God. This poor girl can’t even talk! “Jessie just mentioned to me how she used to be a tomboy when she was younger, and I just said she certainly wasn’t anymore!” I laughed. “Hey, by the way, is Jessme your nickname?”

Jessie laughed. “No, Drew’s just a really bad drunk. He never could talk right whenever he got drunk!”

Scott threw his head back and laughed. “Damn straight.” Then, he looked at me. “That boy loves you so much. He was actually crying when I threw his ass on the bed. He was begging me to go and get you. Kept saying how he hurt you again. I hope everything is okay between y’all.”

I smiled at Scott. I was starting to warm up to this guy…even though he lived for tormenting Jefferson. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I just had some old…issues…pop up, but I’ve got it now.” I winked at Jessie.

Scott took in a deep breath and slapped his hands together, causing Jessie and me to jump. “Oh shit! Sorry, ladies.” He looked at Jessie.

With the way he was looking at her, I could tell he had a thing for her.

“You need a ride, don’t you, Tiny?”

Tiny?

Jessie frowned at that nickname. “Yeah, I’m staying with Aaron and Jenny, so if you wouldn’t mind dropping me off there, that would be great.” She walked up and hugged me. “Go love on that drunk bastard,” she whispered in my ear.

I let out a giggle as I pulled back and smiled at her.

As I watched them walk toward Scott’s truck, I noticed Scott inching closer and closer to Jessie. He jogged ahead of her, opened the door for her, and then he held out his hand to help her up into the truck.

These Southern boys…damn, they sure know how to melt a girl’s heart.

I stood in the doorway of our bedroom, just watching Gunner sleep. He was passed out cold. Scott had somehow managed to take off Gunner’s boots, pants, and his shirt. Thank God he was wearing underwear. As he started mumbling in his sleep, I smiled, thinking back to the first time I’d spent the night with him…when he was drunk.

I somehow managed to take off his underwear. I started stripping off my clothes, and then I climbed on top of him. He was lying on his back, so I straddled him. I leaned down and put my lips up against his ear. “Damn you, Drew Mathews. It’s been six weeks, baby,” I whispered.

I moved a little, and I could feel his dick slowly getting harder. I smiled as I rubbed against him. I threw my head back and moved my body over his. Oh god, I want him so badly.

Then, I felt his hands on my hips. I looked down, and he was looking up at me.

“Baby, I’m drunker than all get outs,” he said as he pouted.

I let out a laugh and lowered myself to kiss him. “I know you are, baby…but I want you so bad.”

I moved against him, feeling him grow harder.

“I thought yous hated me. God, please don’t ever hate me. My life would be nothing withouts yous and Awex.”

Oh my god. I love him. I love him. I love him. “I’ve waited over six weeks to have sex with you, Gunner. We’re having sex whether you can move or not. Just don’t throw up on me!” I moved up and then slowly sat back down on him.