“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 f**king 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 f**king 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 f**king 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 f**king 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 f**k 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 f**king 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.