“I said all that, huh?” I asked with a shit-eating grin on my face.
He let out laugh and grabbed me by my shoulder. “Yep, you must have gotten that from Gunner ’cause you sure as hell didn’t learn it from me!”
When we both laughed, Heather glanced over again.
“Don’t rush it. I know how much you want to be with her, and it’s not like y’all haven’t been together before. I just don’t want you rushing into this. ”
“Oh god. Really, Dad? You’re gonna go there?” I rolled my eyes. “I believe you gave me the sex talk when I was twelve years old. ”
My dad laughed and shook his head. “No, I’m not gonna give you the sex talk, you little bastard. I’m just telling you…take your time. Make it special for both of you. Make it a night she’ll always remember. That’s all I’m saying. Now, I’m going to find your Uncle Pete. He owes me an arm-wrestling rematch. ”
Make it special. How the fuck am I going to make it special?
I looked around for Gunner and found him making his way over toward where Heather was talking. I walked as fast as I could and grabbed him by the arm.
“I need to talk to you right now!” I said as I pulled him past Ellie, my mom, and Heather.
“Um…okay. ”
I dragged him upstairs and into my room, and then I shut the door. I felt like I was about to hyperventilate.
“Shit, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Gunner asked.
I shook my head. I couldn’t talk. I’m gonna fuck it up! Did I fuck up our first time? “I’m gonna fuck it up, dude. I know I am. ” I gasped for air.
“Fuck what up?”
“The first time with Heather…I just know I’m gonna fuck it up. ”
Gunner threw his head back and laughed. “First off, you stupid bastard, you’ve already had sex with her. From what Ellie has shared, even though I begged her not to, it was the most romantic moment of Heather’s life. ”
“Oh fucking great! I don’t remember that, Gunner. So, I’m really gonna fuck it up now ’cause I have nothing to compare it to. Ah shit!” I started pacing back and forth as I ran my hands through my hair.
“Jesus, Josh, calm the hell down. Is it going to be tonight?”
I stopped and looked at Gunner. “I thought I wanted it to be, but now, I’m not so sure. I think I need to wait, but…I don’t think I can wait. I just want to rip off her clothes and devour her. I want to see and touch every inch of her body. ”
“Okay, first off, just stop. I love Heather, and I think of her as a sister. You’re totally grossing me the fuck out with the picture you’re putting in my head, you asshole. Second, don’t worry. It’s going to be perfect no matter what you’re doing or when it is or even where it is. Just let it happen when it feels right. ”
“What did you do for Ellie?” I stopped pacing and stared at Gunner.
He started looking everywhere but at me.
“Gunner? What did you do for your first time with Ellie?”
Gunner looked at me and shook his head. “Dude, I don’t think you really want me to tell you what I did. ”
I just stared at him. “Yeah, I do. What did you do?”
“I, um…well, I had Jenny…she’s Aaron’s wife. You know Aaron, Drake’s son? Anyway, Jenny decorated the old deer cabin that I had remodeled. She filled it with daisies and other flowers and champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries and all of that good shit. But I, um. . . I. . . well, first I…”
“Jesus, spit it out. ”
“I asked her to marry me first,” Gunner said with a shrug of his shoulders.
“Wait…what? How long did you date her before you asked her to marry you?”
“About six months,” he said with a smile.