“You’re right sweets, I’m sorry. I will let them know what happened and why you can’t come in. Tonight was our last day anyway!” Ari said as she leaned over to give me a hug.

“Thanks Ari, you’re the best!” I noticed Jefferson’s body tense up right at that moment. He must have thought of something.

“Ell’s maybe you should plan on staying the night at my place. If mom is home she is going to ask you a million questions and I’m not sure if you want to talk to her about that douche bag Ryan. You always keep a bag of clothes and stuff in Ari’s jeep right?” Jefferson asked as he pulled into the high school parking lot.

“Oh, hum, yeah I didn’t even think about mom or anything. Last thing I need is to hear her saying I told you so.” I practically whispered as I thought about my mother and how I will never hear the end of it when she finds out about Ryan.

Jefferson wants me to stay at his house…..Gunner’s house……..

Oh holy hell…..this is going to be bad. Please, please, pleeeease say that Gunner is going out all night or has some big thing he has to leave town for. Please don’t let him say he is going to be there. I mean Jefferson has never even let me meet any of his college friends, even his BEST friend, and now he is wanting me to spend the night in the same house with the guy who practically just has to look at me and I’m ready to jump him???!!

Shit! Shit! Shit!

“I mean if that’s okay with you Gunner? Ellie can take my room and I will sleep on the sofa.” Jefferson said has he jumped out of his truck to help get my things.

“Of course, it’s cool with me! Ellie can stay over anytime she likes. Our place is her place as far as I’m concerned.” Gunner said as he turned back and looked over at me winked and then gave me that freaking ass panty melting smile.

Bastard! He knew what he was doing. He cannot fool me any. He knows he has an effect on me and I’m probably nothing more than a game to him. HUMPH. I’ll show him!

Giving him back a very seductive smile, well at least very seductive for me anyway, I purred back in a very lovingly sisterly way.

“Ahhh, Gunner how very sweet of you. Now I feel like I have TWO big brothers looking out for me. You are such a good friend.” His smiled faded quicker than a Texas sunset.

HAH! Take that you bastard. I’m sure that just threw about a gallon of cold water on his libido. Huh…made me feel pretty damn good too! I had to smile at my small victory and do a little mind fist pumping.

Jefferson had opened my door waiting for me to get out of the truck. He looked between Gunner and me and frowned slightly as he helped me out of the truck.

Ari came up behind me and whispered in my ear, “I am SO looking forward to that Coach purse.” I quickly turned to look at her and gave her the most angry look I could manage.

“NEVER, going to happen’ Arianna….EVER!” I hissed through my teeth at her. Ari just threw her head back, laughed and handed Jefferson my overnight bag I kept in her jeep.

“Whatever you say sweets!”

“When you two are done talking in riddles can we get going? Gunner has some place he needs to be.” Jefferson said as he walked over to his truck and threw my bag in the backseat. Gunner gave Jefferson a strange look.

“Have fun Ells!!! I will give you a call later tonight to see how your night went!” Ari said with a laugh as she got into her Jeep ready to head off to work. She had the top off of her jeep and she was throwing her hair in a pony tail. She truly was beautiful. Hard to believe she did not have a boyfriend. I looked over at Jefferson who was staring at her before he seemed to get his wits about him and started to walk over to the driver’s side of his truck. Ari honked her horn and all I saw was her pink spare tire cover as she drove off.

I stood there and watched my bitch of a best friend drive off and leave me to fend for myself. Pesh, I will remember this. I turned and headed to climb into the back seat and Gunner took my arm. My breath instantly caught and if I didn’t know better I would have thought he had the same reaction.

“Why don’t you sit up front with your brother Ellie. I’ll sit back here.”

Boy did he stress brother! Ooops wonder if I made him mad. The thought of making him mad or upset seemed to unsettle me. My stomach started to feel sick. What the fuck? Maybe it was just my hand hurting.

“Oh, okay, um thanks. I mean, I’m sorry if I kept you from something you had to do this afternoon. Thank you for all your help by the way. I really do appreciate it.” Good Lord I somehow managed to get that all out without sounding like an idiot.

“It was no problem at all Ellie. Besides the fact you have a hurt hand, I’ve rather enjoyed my afternoon. A lot.” Gunner said with the sweetest smile. Okay, this guy really knew how to confuse me already.

I looked down to where he still had his hand on my arm. He quickly dropped his hand and opened the truck door for me. I turned to smile at him right as he was shutting my door. Once Gunner was in, Jefferson fired up his truck and started to head to their place. He reached over and messed around looking for a song before “Truck Yeah” started up again.

“NOOO!” Gunner and I shouted at the same time. Jefferson just threw his head back and laughed. He looked over at me and gave me a wink and pulled out onto the main road.

I am so going to delete that song from his iPod the first chance I get!

My heart was pounding and I felt like I was fighting for every breath. What was wrong with me? I had been to Jefferson’s place plenty of times. It was a cute house and I loved going there. The house was a two bedroom house with a huge backyard in Hyde Park. It was a white house with blue trim. The front porch had a porch swing on it and I always thought how nice it would be to just sit on that swing and read a book. I’m sure Gunner’s grandfather paid a small fortune for it but Jefferson said it was a good investment.

Gunner has never once asked for rent from Jefferson. They just split the rest of the bills. The only problem with this place was…..it was for sure a bachelor’s pad. The few times I had been there I noticed all the football and Architectural stuff everywhere. I’m still amazed that both Gunner and Jefferson had decided to major in the same field. It’s no wonder they became best friends. They both loved football and Architecture and football.

We turned down Avenue F and my heart started to pound so loud and fast I was sure Jefferson and Gunner could hear it. Jefferson pulled up and parked next to what I’m guessing was Gunner’s truck. It was an older model F250 beige truck. What was it with Texas boys and their trucks?

“Is that your truck Gunner?” Regretting it the minute it came out of my mouth. I mean come on Ellie, who else’s truck would it be?

“Yep! That’s my girl! My Gramps gave her to me when I got accepted into UT. She’s a 1998 F250 that was used on the ranch but, she has never failed me yet.” Gunner said jumping out of the truck and opening my door for me.

Hmm, manners, good looking and a rocking body. Yeah this guy is too good to be true. I would do good to keep telling myself that.

“You refer to your truck as a girl?” I looked over at the truck and back at Gunner. OHHH mistake…there was that damn smile again. Wait? When did it go crooked? Maybe it was just the way he was smiling right now. I don’t think I would have missed that….would I? My head was spinning and my hand was throbbing. Good lord I’m so f**ked with this guy.

Gunner let out another one of those laughs that made me go all Jello on the inside. SHIT! I should have just taken my chances with my mother.

“Yes, Ellie I refer to her as my girl. This way I know the only way my heart will ever get broken is if she breaks down on the side of the road and leaves me stranded.” He said as he gave me a wink.

Holy hell this guy was killing me, what a flirt! Okay….I can play this game! I dug down deep and pulled out my sexiest voice……

“Well…… I’m sure your heart is safe then….aren’t Fords pretty reliable? I mean, I would hate to think of your heart being broken. It would just make me all sad.” I said as I looked up at him through my eye lashes. His crooked smile got even bigger and for a moment he looked like he wanted to kiss me.

My heart started to pound even harder…holy fuck…was eighteen too young to be having a heart attack? I mean what the hell else was this?!

“Gunner!” Jefferson called out and snapped me out of my moment of weakness and I spun around to look at my brother who was holding my overnight bag and giving both of us a curious look.

“Dude, can I talk to you for a minute?”

OH. MY. GOD…what was I doing? I just flirted with my brother’s best friend, in FRONT of my brother and now he was going to chew his ass out. Or worse….beat the shit out of him!

Oh great! There goes my party Saturday night. FUCK ME!

“Hey Ells you mind heading in and I’ll bring your bag to my bedroom?” Jefferson asked as I slowly started to walk towards him.

“Umm, yeah sure no problem but, um is everything okay?”

“Of course it is honey; I just need to ask Gunner to do me a favor.” Jefferson said as he pushed me up the stairs of the front porch. I turned back around and watched as Gunner ran his hands through his beautiful messy hair while he walked up to Jefferson. Oh how I would love to run my hands through his hair. I He took one look up at me and smiled. I felt my lower lip going numb and realized I was biting the shit out of it.

I turned back towards the door and opened it. As soon as I walked in I had to smile. It smelled just like Jefferson in here. And it smelled just like…….. Gunner…….oh yeah….

I was f**ked for sure.

Chapter Four

Gunner…..

The moment Jeff had asked Ellie to go inside I knew something was up. FUCK! I needed to be more careful around her, especially in front of Jeff. In just the short amount of time I had been around her today I wanted to know so much more about her. What were her favorite flowers, her favorite restaurant, band, and movie?

Holy fuck, what the hell was going on with me? I had this incredible urge to just be around her. I mean I have been with girls, plenty of girls but none of them have ever affected me the way Ellie has. Just touching her alone causes me to get a semi. What the f**k is that about? She’s my best friend’s sister who just broke up with her douche bag boyfriend this morning.

Gunner man…..chill the f**k out.

Well, let’s get this over with. I walked over to Jeff but not before I looked up and saw Ellie looking down at me biting her lip. I’m pretty sure it took all my strength not to let a moan out from just the sight of her chewing on that lip. I knew she was worried about what Jeff was about to say to me, especially since she just attempted to flirt with me for the first time today. God she was cute as a button but holy shit she was so innocent and yet, so seductive at the same time.

She gave me a weak smile and turned to walk into the house. I let out a big sigh and walked up to Jeff.

“What’s up dude? Is everything okay?” I asked getting ready for the first punch to be thrown.