“I’m glad to hear that sweetheart.”
I pulled up to the oak tree. After a quick check to make sure here was no manure around I laid out the blanket and put the basket down. I turned the ignition over and tuned it to a country station. I had to laugh when “How Country Feels” by Randy Houser started to play.
“Well shit Ells if this ain’t the perfect song for you!”
Ellie laughed and sat down on the blanket.
I knelt down next to her and pushed a piece of hair that had fallen from her pony tail behind her ear.
“Close your eyes sweetheart and don’t open them until I tell you to.”
“Okay….”
Ellie closed her eyes and slowly laid back. I saw her chest rising up and down so fast. God I could just lay here all night and watch her. I leaned in closer to her but was careful not to block her view.
“Open your eyes Ellie.”
She waited a good thirty seconds before she finally opened her eyes. She sucked in her breath and her eyes grew wider. She didn’t say a word. The smile that spread across her face was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen in my life. My fucking dick decided it liked it also. I moved and laid down next to her as I grabbed her hand and just looked up at the endless amount of stars. I never get tired of seeing this.
“It doesn’t even look real. I never knew there were SO many stars. There are millions of them!”
We laid there for I don’t know how long just talking about everything. Favorite movies, songs, singers, bands, you name it we talked about it.
“Gunner can I ask you something and please do not feel like you have to answer.”
“Ellie honey you can ask me anything you want.” I said as I kissed the back of her hand.
“Why don’t you ever talk about your parents?”
I sat up and ran my hand through my hair.
“Um, well…I don’t exactly have the best relationship with them. I haven’t talked to my father or mother in almost three years.”
Ellie sat up and looked shocked. “WHY?”
I let out a small laugh. “Well shit where should I start.”
“Gunner you don’t have to talk about this if it’s upsetting for you.”
I looked over at her and my heart just swelled. I wanted to tell her about my parents.
“No, it’s okay Ellie.” I took a deep breath and started talking.
“My dad is a drill instructor in the Army and he and my mother live in Lawton, Oklahoma. My dad and I had different ideas about what I should do with my life. I wanted to play football back here in Texas. My dream was to go to UT, play football for them and then help out Gramps with the ranch. My father’s dream was for me to go in the Army right after high school. Said it was the only way to make something of my life. He pretty much thought I was a loser for playing football and said I would never get anywhere in my life. After I told him I got accepted into UT and got a football scholarship he told me if I went to school in Texas he was finished with me. My mother never did really have the nerve to stand up to my father so on the day I graduated high school, he had my bags packed and he told me to leave.”
“Oh my gosh Gunner how could your own parents do that to you? Have you talked to them at all?”
“No, not since I started UT. My mother called a few times the summer after high school. I was staying here with Gramps and Grams. But once she realized I was not going to back down….well, I haven’t talked to her since that summer. Not even at Christmas. Don’t feel bad for me sweetheart. It’s really no different than your mother doing what she did to you all those years.”
Ellie laid back down on the blanket and looked up at the stars. We sat there in silence for a few minutes.
“Do you want kids Gunner?”
My heart started beating a mile a minute. What if Ellie didn’t want kids? I had always dreamed of a little boy or girl I could teach to fish, ride a horse, learn about the cattle business. It was something I longed for. What if Ellie’s mother had totally fucked up her thinking of kids? I panicked for a brief second.
“Yes, I want kids someday. What about you?”
Ellie stared up at the stars and then smiled. She turned her head over and looked at me and that smile of hers just blew me away.
“Yes and I will love them unconditionally.”
I let out the breath I was holding in.
Ellie wanted kids.
God how I hoped I was the one to make that another one of her firsts.
CHAPTER FORTY ONE
E llie……
Gunner pretty much held his breath until I said that I also wanted kids someday. I wonder what he was thinking. I actually saw him let out the breath he was holding when I said yes. Was he thinking he wanted to have kids with me?
I could only dream. The thought of having Gunner’s kids was too much to even think about. I could just see them now running around the ranch with Gunner chasing them. I bet he would make a great dad to our kids.
Oh wow….where the hell did that come from? OUR KIDS??? I sat up quickly and shook my head. Fuck me why did I keep getting these thoughts?
Just then Lady Antebellum’s “Just a Kiss” started to play. Oh God I loved this song! I jumped up and about scared the shit out of Gunner.
“Oh my God I LOVE this song! Can I turn it up?”
Gunner laughed at me. “Of course you can sweetheart!”
I got up and started to walk over to the jeep. Just then I heard something. It was someone whistling and it was loud! Then I heard dogs howling. I let out a scream as I turned to run back to Gunner. I saw Gunner jump up and before I knew it I jumped into his arms and wrapped my legs around his body and buried my face.
“Holy fuck Ellie what’s wrong? What happened?”
“OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD who is that whistling at us and do you not hear the coyotes!?! They’re going to come after us!” I practically screamed into Gunner’s chest.
Then I heard the whistle again! Holy shit it sounded like it belonged in the Amazon rain forest!
“There it is again!”
Gunner threw his head back and laughed. I kept my face buried into his neck.
“Holy hell Ells….those are Whipporwills. They’re birds!” Gunner was laughing his ass off as he held me. I don’t think I could have had my legs wrapped around him any tighter. I looked at him confused as shit.
“Wait. What? They’re birds? What kind of birds are out at night for Christ sakes and how close are those coyotes?”
“They’re not that close. Sound really travels in the country Ells. You could be a half a mile from me talking and I would be able to hear you. It’s alright; there is nothing to be scared of.”
Oh gesh….I felt like an idiot. He was smiling from ear to ear that beautiful crooked smile. Instantly I felt the ache between my legs. I didn’t even realize it at first but I pushed my hips into Gunner. Gunner’s smile faded and he leaned in to kiss me.
And kiss me he did! Holy fuck this might have been the most passionate kiss ever from him. I grabbed his hair and held him tighter and kissed him back with just as much passion. He started to walk while he held onto me and next thing I knew he had me pressed up against the jeep, he adjusted me to where I could feel his erection. We never broke the kiss. The ache between my legs was growing as he slowly started to move his hips against it. I instinctively moved my hips with his. Gunner slowly pulled his mouth away from mine. The look in his eyes was amazing. I will never forget it as long as I live.
“Ellie, can I touch you?”
Oh. My. God…….
“Yes.”
Gunner slowly placed his hand under my t-shirt. His hand started to move up my stomach and I thought I was going to explode from the inside out.
“Fuck Ellie….your skin is so soft.”
I couldn’t even think. His touch was driving me crazy. The ache between my legs was growing stronger and I was starting to feel weird. I shivered and Gunner stopped moving his hand.