He put his finger under my chin and lifted my face up towards him. “Well that is a damn shame because I’ve wanted to tell you that all day. ” He reached down and kissed me softly one more time then said against my lips…. .
”Shall we head over to Ari’s house now? I’m sure Jeff is waiting for you. ”
Wait…Jefferson was at Ari’s house?
“Jefferson is at Ari’s house? Well that should be interesting the two of them together…. alone. They will kill each other!” I said with a laugh as Gunner laughed along with me and grabbed my hand. We started to walk back to his truck and I thought about what he had said earlier to the valet guy about me being his girl. My stomach was filled with butterflies and I couldn’t help but smile. Could Gunner really be interested in me that way? Or was this attraction just because I was something that was always “Off limits” to him before?
Was I some kind of challenge for him?
No, I really didn’t think so but…. I was going to keep my guard up that was for sure. I would not allow myself to be hurt again. I’d been hurt enough to last me a life time.
I literally felt like I was walking on cloud nine all the way back to the truck. I kept looking up at Gunner who was walking with the cutest damn smile on his face. I wonder if our kiss had affected him as much as it had me. Gunner held my door open and helped me up in to the truck.
He picked up my right hand. It was not nearly as swollen as it had been. He gently brought it up to his mouth and kissed it. I smiled at him and wondered what type of a family he came from. His mother sure did raise this boy right! I loved that he had kissed my body three different times in the last few minutes. I loved how his lips felt against my skin. I would forever long for his kisses now.
“How does your hand feel sweetheart? Do you need to take a pain pill?” Gunner asked has he pushed a piece of hair behind my ear. Kisses and Gunner playing with my hair……. .
Oh yes, a girl could get very use to this if she let he guard down which I was NOT going to do.
“I had forgotten all about it until just now!”
Gunner just smiled at me. “Good Ellie sweetheart. I want to take away all your pain. I’m sorry I reminded you about it. We’ll stop at the store and pick up a few waters on our way. ” I smiled at him as he shut the door and walked around his truck.
God, with what just happened between Gunner and me and Jefferson alone with Ari…. . my mother was a million miles away and I was happy. I was so happy for the first time in a very long time.
Gunner started his truck and Ne-Yo’s “Let Me Love You” started from his iPod. Gunner looked over at me and gave me that panty melting smile.
“What a perfect song. ” He said as he reached over and took my hand. Gunner gave my hand a squeeze as he pulled out of the parking lot.
Here I thought just thirty seconds ago was the happiest I had ever been…. now I was really floating on cloud nine! I could not tear my eyes away from him, he was singing along to the song and my heart just dropped into my stomach. This guy was too good to be true. If I was not careful I might start falling in love with him……. or maybe it was too late…………………
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Gunner…….
I couldn’t believe it when Ne-Yo’s song started to play. Talk about perfect fucking timing. This was turning out to be the best goddamn day of my life. I was still flying from the kiss Ellie and I shared. By the way Ellie had been smiling the last hour I would say her mother and what happened earlier this afternoon was far from her mind.
Jeff sent me a text letting me know he was going to meet us at Ari’s once he was able to leave work but I needed to make one more stop now to pick up Ellie’s graduation gift. We bought some waters at the store so she could take her pain meds. I looked over at her and she looked tired, poor thing must be emotionally exhausted. It looked like she was fighting to keep her eyes open.
I pulled up and parked outside of James Avery. I saw Ellie tense up out of the corner of my eye. I knew what she w
as probably thinking. It had to be running through her head who I was buying jewelry for. Fuck I hated that she doubted herself so much.
“You want to run in with me or wait out here?” I asked hoping that by me inviting her in it would ease her mind…. or…. it might make her think I was a totally dick for buying another girl jewelry and asking her to come in while I bought it. Fuck me…. .
“Um, no that’s okay. I’m going to give Jefferson a call. I can’t imagine what must be going on with him and Ari alone in her house!”
“Alright, give me two minutes then!” I said as I tried to give her a reassuring smile. She smiled back at me but the smile looked forced, not happy like it had just a little bit ago. SHIT!
“Ellie……. I’m not buying jewelry for another girl. I want you to know that okay?” I said as I placed my hand along the side of her precious face. How can one girl get in my heart and latch onto it this fast and this hard?
Ellie smiled a bit bigger and I saw her body relax just a little.
“Gunner you certainly don’t owe me any explanations of what you are buying. It is none of my business really. ”
I let out a small laugh. I wanted so badly to tell her after a kiss like that, it sure as fuck was her business. I had to remember slow…. . slow and steady. Last thing I wanted to do was spook her.
I jumped out of the truck and went into the store.