Ari shrugged. “You obviously wanted her to leave you alone so I just gave her a reason to leave you alone. No big deal. ”
Jefferson sat there a minute with his hands just running through his hair and then down his face. He looked over at Ari and then back towards the house.
“Umm, I need to go check on something. ” Jefferson said as he jumped out of his seat and made a bee line for the house. Ari looked over at me and Gunner and we all laughed.
“Well played Ms. Peterson…. well fucking played. ” Gunner said as he took his beer and hit it with Ari’s.
Ari smiled at me and gave me a wink. I just shook my head. This girl actually knew what the fuck she was doing.
Poor Jefferson, he didn’t stand a chance.
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
Gunner…. .
I sat there with Ellie sitting on my lap and I was in pure heaven. Listening to her and Ari talk and laugh, I was never more content. Every time she laughed or smiled I stopped breathing.
I love her……. .
I had to smile every time I thought about how my world just turned upside. I knew Ellie still wanted to take things slow but goddamn if I didn’t want to just tell her, to just shout it out for the world to know.
Ari asked if Ellie wanted to dance and she looked down at me. “You mind?”
“No! Go and have fun. I’ll just sit here and wait for Jeff to come back from whatever it was that he had to take care of. ” I said as I wiggled my eye browsup and down and smiled at Ari.
Ari laughed but Ellie didn’t think that comment was too funny.
“Oh for the love of all things good…. that’s my brother Gunner! EEEWWWW gross!” Elli got off my lap and slapped my arm. I laughed and pulled her back down to me and whispered up against her ear, “Don’t let Jon get anywhere near you okay?”
She looked at me with such a sweet and tender smile.
“Okay babe!”
She got up and walked out into the yard and hugged Amanda and started dancing. Holy fuck…. she just called me babe. I sat back in my chair and drank my beer while I watched her. I looked over towards where Jon was standing and noticed the fucker watching her also. I finished off my beer and grabbed another one.
“Jesus dude you trying to get drunk. You got Ells back so what’s the reason for getting wasted?” Jeff said as he grabbed another beer from the cooler.
“Fuck off. . . I’m celebrating douche bag. ” I looked over at Jeff and smiled. “So, what was it you needed to take care of so fast?” I said with a laugh.
“Very funny dick head but that’s not what I was doing. Gunner, I swear that girl is going to be the death of me! I had to get away from her before I tore her fucking clothes off. I can’t believe she did that to me. Shit! I saw Josh in the house and had to sit there and listen to him go on and on about Heather so I could try to lose my hard on. ”
I threw my head back and laughed. “That must have been entertaining. ”
“Fuck…. to say the least. Dude has it bad for that girl. Jesus, I never in my life saw Josh this interested in a girl and this fucking nervous to actually talk to her. ”
“Yeah he has it pretty bad for her. Stupid fucker has not even talked to her all night. Speaking of stupid fuckers……what are you going to do about Ari?”
Jeff took a drink of his beer as he looked out towards Ari and Ellie dancing.
“Nothing. ”
“What the fuck do you mean nothing?”
“I mean nothing. I’m not going to do anything. She told me tonight that she never slept with Jason which was a relief because I would’ve hated myself the rest of my life knowing she just slept with him to get back at me. So, now that I kno
w we’re alright I’m just going to move on. ” Jeff said as he took another drink of his beer. This time he damn near finished it.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me. ” I said as I shook my head and looked at him. “Jeff, can you not see that she has a thing for you. I mean holy fuck, that kiss she gave you I’m pretty damn sure was more than just for show. Why do you insist on pushing her away?”