“There’s nothing to talk about Ells. What’s done is done. I had a silly crush on a guy who happened to turn out to be a real dick head; sorry I know he is your brother! If he wants to go around and fuck every girl on the UT campus…. I could care less. ” Ari said as she turned and walked out of the bathroom.
Ooookay…. . that was not what I was expecting from her but I’ll go with it.
“So, you mean to tell me Arianna that you are totally fine with everything that happened last night. You’re not the least bit bothered that Jefferson slept with another girl. ” I said as I started to take Gunner’s tee shirt off and put my own clothes back on.
“Nope…. I’m not the least bit bothered by it Ellie. Matter of fact, Josh gave me his number and asked me out last night. I turned him down but……. now that I think about it, I’m going to give him a call today. ”
She turned and gave me a wink and headed towards the bedroom door. I saw her square up her shoulders and take a deep breath as she opened the door and headed out towards the living room. I could hear Gunner and Jefferson talking as soon as she opened the door.
Bullshit…. she was totally putting up a front.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
Gunner…. .
I ended up sleeping on the sofa last night after Jeff finally passed out around 2:30 am. Once I sat on the sofa I could still smell Ellie on the sofa pillows. I probably looked like a stupid fuck with the way I was cuddling a goddamn throw pillow last night.
Jeff was up at six am dressed and ready for a run. Not sure how the fuck he managed that but he did. I got up and went for a quick run before I came back to make up some of my grams’ blueberry muffins.
I never got a chance to give Ellie her graduation gift last night so I was hoping to do it this morning. I was pretty sure I heard Ari on the phone and then heard Ellie and Ari talking. Jeff had been gone for almost two hours. I started to wonder if he was staying away to avoid the girls.
Stupid bastard.
Just then the front door opened and Jeff walked in. Looking like he just had the shit beat out of him.
“What the fuck happened to you dude?”
“I went a few rounds with bubba up at the gym. I need to work all the fucking alcohol out of my system. ” Jeff said as he grabbed a water out of the fridge.
“Are the girls up yet?”
Jeff sat down at one of the bar stools and started to down his water. Man he looked like shit.
“Dude, I think you worked out too hard, you look like shit. ” I said as took the muffins out of the oven.
“Fuck you dude…. . I’m not the one acting like Betty Fucking Crocker!”
“Seriously Jeff, you feeling okay today, you get enough sleep?” I asked as I took a good look at him. He looked tired and his eyes were like a dead green sea.
“Yeah I feel alright. I can’t believe I drank that much last night. I fuckin’ never drink like that. ” Jeff said as he reached over and grabbed the bottle of Advil that was sitting on the kitchen counter.
“Do you um, you remember everything that happened last night?” Shit…I hated to do it but I had to ask.
Jeff looked up at me and I swear his eyes glossed over with tears. “Yeah dude, I remember everything that happened last night. Believe me…I woke up wishing I had been drunk enough not to have remembered it. ”
Just then the door to my bedroom opened up and Ari came walking out. Damn…. she looked just as good this morning as she did when she walked in yesterday evening. I could see Jeff sit up straighter.
“Good morning!” Ari announced as she came buzzing into the kitchen. What the hell? I looked over at Jeff who was just watching her every move.
“Did you make blueberry muffins Gunner? My god! No wonder Ellie has the hots for you!” Ari said with a laugh.
“ARIANNA!” The sound of Ellie’s sweet voice caused my stomach to do a few flips. I looked up and my breath caught in my throat. She looked beautiful. I wonder if she woke up every morning looking this fucking good. She gave me a shy smile…. there was that blush…. . fuck I just wanted to take her in my arms and kiss the shit out of her.
“Good morning sweetheart. Did you sleep okay?” I asked as I poured her a glass of orange juice. She sat down in the bar stool next to Jefferson who was still watching Ari’s every move.
Ellie looked over at Jeff and her smile faded just a little. When she looked back over at me she gave me that smile that would make me promise her anything in the world.
“I slept okay, thank you so much for giving up your room last night for us. ”