Wanted (23 page)

Oh yes
,
a girl could get very use to this if she let he guard do
wn 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 sorr
y 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…..m
y 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 lo
ok
ed over at me and ga
ve me that panty melting smile.

“What a perfect song.” He said as he reached over and to
ok
my hand. Gunner ga
ve 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, h
e 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 god
damn 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 h
e was going to meet us at Ari’s once he was able to leave work
but I
need
ed 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 lo
ok
ed over at her and she lo
oked tired, p
oor thing must be emotionally exhausted.
It lo
ok
ed 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 was probably thinkin
g.
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 h
im 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 j
ewelry 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 o
nto it this fast and this hard?

Ellie smiled a bit bigger and I sa
w her body relax just a little.

“Gunner you certainly don’
t owe me any ex
planations of what you are buying
. It is no
ne 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 spo
ok
her.

I jumped out of the truck and w
ent into the store.

“Hello may I help you?” The short blonde working behind the counter quickly came out and was practically falling all over me. Maybe
it was a good thing Ellie didn’
t come in.

“Hi, I um, I called in earlier this morning about a silver daisy charm that y’all were going to put on a chain for me. The last name is Mathews.
”

The blonde just about jumped for joy. “That was me you talked to this morning!
What a wonderful choice.
Daisies
are my absolute favorite flower. We did indeed have the size of chain you requested and have it all r
eady for you. Let me show you.”

I followed her over to the
other
counter. She went in the back and came out holding a small jewelry box. After she handed it to me she leaned against the counter and waited for me to open it. I knew what she was doing but I was not about to lo
ok
up
. She already had on
a low cut shirt and I’
m sure she was doing h
er best to show her assets off.

No thanks.

“
Would you like this gift wrapped
? Is this for your mother or your sister?” Nice one
but two can play at this game.

“
Neither, it is
for someone very special. She’
s having a big day tomorrow.” I lo
ok
ed up to see the smile on her face fade. For about
two seconds I felt kind of bad.

“
Um, not be rude but I think I’
ll just ta
ke it without the gift wrap. I’
m in a bit of a hurry.” I said as I lo
ok
ed back out towards the parking lot. I could see El
lie sitting in the truck still and
i
t lo
ok
ed like she was on her phone.

I paid, got the necklace and headed out. Ellie was still on the phone when I got back in the truck. I slid the box up under my seat and she didn’t
even notice she was so deep in
conversation with Jeff.

“I’m sorry
Jeff;
I jus
t didn’t want to bother you with
all of that. I know, I know all the things she said
was
just nothing but bullshit. Listen, Gunner j
ust got back in the car and we’
re not far from Ari’s house so I
’
ll talk to you in a few minutes
okay
? Jefferson…..please
be
nice to Ari. Thanks.”

I had to let out a laugh. “So how long has Ari liked Jeff?” I asked Ellie as she slipped her phone into her back pocket.

“WHAT?” Ellie asked stunned. “What do you mean? What makes
you think she likes Jefferson?”

I just lo
oked at Ellie with a “REALLY?
”
lo
ok
on my
face.

“Well
,
for starters I see the way she lo
ok
s at him. She can’t take her eyes off of him.
Then there is the fact that when she is ar
ound him she is a nervous Nelly and talks
non stop
.”

Ellie let out a sigh
as her head fell back against the seat
. “Ari has had a crush on Jefferson since I can remember. She acts like she can’t stand him
but I know better. I think it’
s her way of dealing with how he treats her. The last few years have b
een hard for me. I feel like I’
m in the middle. Ari keeps falling harder for Jefferson and Jefferson, well he keeps growing more and more annoyed with Ari. He literally acts like he cannot stomach to be in the same room as her. I’m not ev
en sure why? He use to get along
with her great then something happened. I thought maybe he might have had a thing for her but when I asked him he blew me off about it.” Ellie said with a shrug.
“
I just hope they have not killed each o
ther by the time we get there.”

“
Ellie I think you are wrong about how Jeff feels. I really think he likes Ari…..A LOT. He’
s just afraid to admit it to himself. I’m not sure why but I think he feels like she is too
young. The way he acts when he has
been around her these
last two days is just….well it’
s just weird to me.  He also cannot keep
his eyes off of her.”

Ellie looked deep in thought and shrugged her shoulders.
I followed
Siri’s
directions to Ari’s house.
She didn’t live to f
ar from Jeff and Ellie’s house.

“You really think Jefferson thinks Ari is too young and that is why he is denying his f
eeling for her? Do you think I’
m too young
?” Ellie asked me. I lo
ok
ed over and she was batting those beautiful long eye lashes at me. I let out a laugh.

“No, I don’t think you’
re too young. If I had I never would’ve
kissed you!” I said as I to
ok
her hand in mine.

Ellie smiled a small smile at me. Then she said what I
never ever wanted to come from her mouth
.

“Gunner, I need to talk
to you about that kiss.”

FUCK!
I knew I pushed her too soon.

“Do you regret kis
sing me Ellie, because I
don’
t regret kissing you sweetheart
, not one
bit
.
”

“NO! God NO! It was one of the most amazing moments of my life. I will never forget that kiss for as l
ong as I live. Of course I don’
t regret it. I’m just…..you see…..well. I guess what I
’
m trying to say is I’
m not lo
ok
ing to get into a relationship right now. I mean….I really like you Gunner….a lot. But I think I need to just tak
e it slow. I hope that you
understand why I need time. With all the shit I just went through with Ryan and now my mom. I just need some time for me to figure out who I am.”

I lo
ok
ed over at her and she almost lo
ok
ed like she was going to cry. She had just gotten to where she was happy again
,
so I was
not about to get her upset. Fuck it
,
if she needed time I would give her all the time she needed. I.
Was. Not.
Giving.
Up.
On.
Her.

E
ver.

“Ellie of course I understand. I’m sorry if I pushed you into moving too fast. I really am sweetheart. Please know I would never want to r
ush you into something you weren’t
ready for.” I gave her the best smile I could muster even thoug
h inside I was starting to die a slow
painful
death
.

“So we can be…
..friends?” Ellie asked as a blus
h started to creep up her face.

“Yes, Ellie we most certainly can be friends.”
Fuck, I really hope I don’t throw up.

E
llie
…….

I hope I was not making a mistake by talking to Gunner about taking things slow. I saw the disappointment in his eyes when I said I wanted to just be friends. God that was the hardest thing I have ever had to say. I have no doubt that Gunner had feelings for me. I certainly had feelings for him. Strong feelings that were starting to
scare the shit out of me.

This is for the
best;
I just need to keep reminding myself this
. I need time to think
and this is moving
too
fast. These feelings….they are confusing me
. I mean I’
m going to be going to college now. I have to keep my options open right? I don’t need to be jumping into another relationship
the day after I just ended one.