Jeff opened the ring box and took out the ring.

Oh.My.God. It was breathtaking.

“This ring, Ari this ring is a symbol of my love for you. I will always love you and only you.”

I just stared at it. It was a vintage-style platinum ring with a round-cut center diamond. Round baguette diamonds surrounded the center diamond. The band was amazing. Two bands extended out from the prongs holding the center diamond on both sides and then molded into one as the bands completed the circle. I’d never seen such a beautiful ring in my entire life.

I looked up at Jeff, who was staring at me.

I couldn’t talk. Holy shit! I can’t talk.

“Um, Ari I’m not really sure, but I think this is the part where you tell me yes.”

My dreams were about to come true. I’m going to be Mrs. Jefferson Johnson. All those years of practicing my signature on my school notebooks was finally going to pay off! As I felt a tear roll down my face, Jeff reached up and brushed it away.

“Jeff, I would be honored to be Mrs. Jefferson Michael Johnson.”

Jeff let a smile that stretched from ear to ear. He shook his head and started to laugh.

What the hell?

“Why the hell are you laughing, dickwad? Are you trying to ruin my perfect moment?”

Jeff threw his head back laughing harder. He stood up, reaching out for my hand, and then he pulled me up to him. The look in his eyes was enough to drive me crazy. Right now in this moment, I wanted nothing more than to be with him. I wanted to forget all about crazy-ass Rebecca and the child that she was carrying. I wanted Jeff to save me from the nightmare that my father threw at me tonight.

“Me ruin it? It took you long enough to answer me, Ari, I was starting to get worried.”

I giggled and reached up to kiss him. Placing his hand on the back of my neck, he pulled me in and deepened the kiss.

Holy hell! My head was spinning.

I was engaged to the man of my dreams. Sure, he was a pain in the ass, but fuck me, he sure could kiss.

Jeff barely pulled away from my lips as he smiled down at me.

“Ari?”

I could hardly talk.

“Yes?”

“Will you let me make love to you, baby?”

Oh. My. God. The Butterflies were taking off and going nuts in my stomach.

“Um sure. Why not?”

Jeff laughed against my lips. The heat from his mouth was driving me insane. I’d never get tired of being with him.

“Have I told you today how beautiful you looked? I had to catch my breath when I saw you walking down the aisle, baby.”

“That’s not what I heard from the preacher. All I know is that when the preacher pulled me to the side and to tell me that my boyfriend needs to come to service tomorrow, I had to wonder what the hell was going on up there with you and Gunner.”

Jeff laughed again. As he slowly pulled away from me, his eyes travel up and down my body. I swore that every time he looked at me, it was like he was seeing me for the first time. When his eyes landed on my mouth, I couldn’t help but lick my lips. He let out a small moan that traveled through my whole body.

I would do anything for this man. Anything.

CHAPTER TWO

JEFF

Holy shit! The moment Ari said yes, my heart started beating a mile a minute. It sure as shit wasn’t going to slow down anytime soon while I looked her body up and down. So fucking perfect. She’d always been perfect. Now, she was going to be truly mine.

When she licked her lips, I let out a moan. Shit. I wanted to be inside her, I wanted to forget the last few days ever happened. I just wanted to be alone with the only girl I would ever love.

“Ari…”

She smiled that damn smile of hers that could bring me to my knees and make me do anything she asked.

“Jeff…”

She slowly turned around and then looked back over her shoulder at me with those beautiful green eyes of hers. Damn! I started to unzip her dress, and I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking. I felt her body shiver the moment I touched her, and I swore that it felt like my knees were about to give out on me.

Holy shit, this girl is going to be the death of me.

Moving my hands slowly back up her body, I placed them on her shoulders and gently pushed off the dress, letting it drop to the floor at her feet. She stepped out and turned to face me.

Mother-fucker. I’d never seen anything so beautiful.

She was dressed in a pink lace bra with matching pink lace panties. I had to catch my breath from the sight of Ari in nothing but her lace underwear and cowboy boots. Taking a step back, I thought back to the first night we ever made love.

***

Brad and Amanda’s’ wedding

Four Months Earlier

“Holy shit!” Gunner and I said together.

Gunner turned to me at the same time I looked at him. I quickly glanced back down the aisle to see Ari walking toward me with a huge bouquet of roses. She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever laid eyes on. As she stepped closer, I got a better look at the dress she was wearing.

Mother fucker. Her breasts were practically falling out of it. Why the hell would Amanda have them wear that? Oh hell no! She was going to have to change or put on a jacket.

Thank God, Gunner was the best man because I didn’t hear any part of the ceremony. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Ari. My Ari. Tonight I would finally make her one-hundred percent mine.

I was still pissed at Gunner and his fucking romantic ways while they were at the hunter’s cabin. Ellie had told Ari all about it, and I had to listen for a week about how passionate Gunner was.

I turned to look at Gunner, and I gave him a fuck-off look. He just raised his eyebrows and then smiled. Bastard

“Jeff, what the hell is wrong with you tonight? Your mind is in another world for Christ’s sake.” Ari said while she danced in my arms.

I held her closer and took in a deep breath. Vanilla. She always smelled like vanilla.

I looked over at Jenny, who gave me a thumbs-up. I lifted my hand and returned one back to her.

Damn. I’d never met someone who worked as hard as she did. Gunner and Ellie were so happy with how Jenny had decorated the cabin the night he’d asked her to marry him.

Tonight was costing me a fortune, but making it a night Ari would never forget was worth it.

Pulling away, Ari looked up at me. Tilting her head, she slowly let that damn smile play across her face.

My god, I love her. I couldn’t believe that I’d almost let her go. What a stupid mother fucker I’d been. Tonight it was all going to change. I was going to make love to her for the first time.

Oh shit. I feel sick.

“Jeff? Are you okay? You look like you’re going to be sick!”

I smiled down at Ari, I lifted her chin up toward me and kissed her. She deepened the kiss and let out a small moan.

After a few seconds, she pulled away. “You want to get the hell out of here and go back to my place?” Ari asked as she wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

Oh shit…here we go.

“Um…actually, I had something else planned for us tonight.”

Ari looked at me and smiled.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yep, but it’s a surprise.”

Just then, Brad and Amanda walked up to us.

I slapped Brad on the back. “Congratulations y’all.”

“Thank you both for being in the wedding and helping out with so much. I couldn’t have done it without your help, Ari,” Amanda said.

She gave Ari a hug and then turned to hug me. Ari pulled up the top of her dress….again…. and smiled at Amanda. She’d been screwing with that damn dress all night. I almost got into it with three guys just for staring at her a little too long. Bastard pricks.

“You wait until I get married, you bitch. I’m so going to make you wear this same fucking dress. I can’t even breathe in this bitch.”