“No, we don’t, babe, I booked us a room at The Driskill Hotel.” Jeff said as he winked at me.
Bastard. I was still pissed about the whole Paris thing.
I smiled at him and shook my head. “I have taught you well, my friend.”
Ellie and Ari both looked at us, confused. I grabbed Ellie’s hand and walked over to Heather. I reached down and took Heather’s hand.
As we started to head toward the stairs, Jerry came after us, and I stopped the girls and looked at him.
“Listen, asshole. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen you slip your fucking phone number to random girls. We’re taking Heather home; she’s upset and ready to leave. I also suggest you don’t call her anymore.”
Jerry looked over at Heather, who was staring at me, stunned.
She turned back to face Jerry.
“Jerry, is that true?”
“You know what? Fuck this. We slept together once, Heather, and ever since then, you’ve been nothing but distant and pining over some jerk. So, yeah, I’ve been with other girls since we started dating. You certainly weren’t putting out so.”
“Shut the fuck up now, or I’ll shut you up,” I said as I took a step toward him.
Jerry took a few steps back, lifting both hands.
“Fine, I’m done here anyway. Enjoy your life as an elementary school teacher, Heather. It fits you perfectly.”
I turned to find Ellie holding Heather. Poor girl looked like she was about to throw up.
“Come on, sweetheart. We have a hotel room right down the street.”
Ellie snapped up her head and looked at me with a small smile. I just winked back at her. The thought was there even if we wouldn’t be able to use it tonight the way I’d wanted to.
After we got to the truck, Heather asked to just be taken home. Ellie was in the backseat with Heather. I turned on the music so they could have some privacy, but I could still hear Heather crying.
I was shocked as shit to hear that she had slept with that asshole. What the hell was she thinking? I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket because it kept going off. I had four text messages and two missed calls.
Fuck. Josh was one of them. I hit voice mail and listened to his message.
“Gunner, what the hell happened? I saw you walking off with Heather, and then I saw Jerry come back alone. Is she okay?”
***
We pulled up to Heather’s apartment, and Ellie asked me to give her a few minutes with Heather.
“Baby, take your time. I’m in no rush.” If I’d been standing, her smile would have dropped me to my knees. Damn the things this girl does to me.
I pulled up the text messages: two from Jeff and two from Josh.
Jeff: Hey, Ari is worried about why y’all took off with Heather and why Jerry-the-jackass came back alone and pissed off. Have Ells text Ari.
Jeff: Never mind dude. These girls have weird mind powers. Ells just texted Ari and told her what’s going on. Why the fuck would Heather sleep with that douche bag?
Josh: Gunner, I tried 2 call u. Is Heather ok?
Josh: Never mind, Talked 2 Jeff & Ari. I’ll call u 2morrow, dude. Taking Lynda home.
Holy hell, our circle of friends is a crazy bunch. I looked up to see my girl walking toward the truck. She jumped in, leaned over, and kissed the shit out of me.
“What was that for?” I asked, nearly breathless.
“That was for booking a room at The Driskill Hotel, for loving me, for never giving up on me when I was so stupid, and for being patient with this whole baby thing.”
“I love you, sweetheart. Now, what the hell is going on with Heather?”
Ellie sat back in her seat and sighed. “Fuck a duck. Where do I begin?”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
ELLIE
By the time we pulled up to The Driskill Hotel, I was emotionally exhausted. This had been such a crazy night. Earlier at the club, I corned Ari in the bathroom, and I’d told her I wouldn’t let her leave until she explained what was going on. I was overjoyed when she told me she was pregnant. I’d truly felt happy for her and Jeff, but at the same time, my heart had broken in two. Why am I not getting pregnant? I’d already made an appointment with Dr Wyatt, Ari’s doctor, and was planning on talking to him about it.
Maybe everyone was right. I just needed to push this from my head and not worry about it. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. But what if I’ll never be a mother? Maybe God thought I would make a terrible mother since I had no example of a real mom growing up.
I felt the tears building in my eyes. No, I’m not going to go there. I looked over at Gunner as he parked the truck in front of the valet. He jumped out and gave his normal this-is-my-girl speech to the poor kid who just kept looking at the truck and me.
Wait for it...
“Sir, you’re talking about the truck, right?”
Gunner looked over at me and winked. “Both.”
***
When we got up to the room, Gunner opened the door, and lifted me up and carried me in. Then, he oh so gently laid me down on the bed. He leaned down and softly kissed my lips. Before he pulled away, he grabbed my lower lip with his teeth and let out a moan.
“I’m going to go run you a hot bath, Baby.”
I smiled as the thoughts started running through my head. I would never get tired of making love to Gunner in a bed, on the floor, in a bathtub, on a beach. I let out a sigh. Each and every time, he’d made me feel so special.
My smile grew as I thought about the last time we were in this hotel and how he made me feel on our wedding night.
“I hope you’re smiling because you’re thinking of me,” Gunner said in a low Southern drawl.
I felt my body reacting to his voice instantly.
“Yes sir, it most certainly is.”
I sat up and pulled my knees to my chest. Just the sight of him standing in the doorway with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist was enough to drive me insane.
I lifted my eyebrows at him as he gave me that damn panty-melting smile of his. His dimple still gives me butterflies in my stomach. I love him so much.
“Drew…”
“Yeah, baby?”
“I’m gonna need you to take that towel off.”
Gunner let out a small laugh and raised his eyebrows up at me. “Is that so? What are your intentions once I remove the towel, Mrs. Mathews?”
God, I can’t believe how much I want him. I was about to explode. I’d never imagined that loving and wanting someone so much could be this magical and special.
“That, Mr. Mathews, is something for me to know and you to find out,” I said with a wink.
Gunner had been playing with Matthew the other day, every time Gunner had asked Matt a question, every response matt had given was, “That’s for me to know and you to find out, Gunner.” Gunner absolutely adored Matt and laughed every time Matt had said it to him.
Gunner threw his head back and laughed. Then, he slowly walked over to me. He reached out his hand, and I took it as he helped me stand up. My heart was beating a mile a minute and I felt like I could hardly breathe. He reached over to the iPod deck next to the bed and hit play. When I looked down, I saw his iPod in the deck. When did he put that in there?
Faith Hill’s “It Will Be Me” started to play, and I looked back up and smiled at him. My true romancer.
“Dance with me, baby,” he said.
“Always.”
As Gunner took me into his arms, he started to sing along with Faith. It felt like my knees were going to give out, and I could feel his arms tighten around me. I loved this man so much that it hurt my heart in such a good way. I closed my eyes and just listened to his sweet voice sing to me as he moved against my body so closely. We didn’t even have to be making love for it to feel like we were one.