He slowly walked me back to the bed. He never broke our kiss, except to take off my T-shirt. As soon as it was over my head, he captured my lips again and kissed me with so much love that I felt like I was going to explode at any moment.

“Ellie, sweetheart, I’m going to make sweet love to you now.”

Oh. My. God. My heart was beating like it was my first time all over again.

He slowly unbutton my jean shorts and then slid the zipper down. The moment his hand slipped inside my panties, I let out a gasp.

“So ready for me, Ells. You’re always so ready, baby.”

“Gunner…” I could hardly think to even compose any words. I pushed my hips into his hand to help ease the ache. God, I want him so much.

Then, he started to take off my shorts in that oh-so-slow way of his. After my panties came off, I was left standing there, wearing only my bra, while his hungry eyes traveled up and down my body. He placed his hands on my shoulders and turned me around. The next thing I knew, my bra was off, and he was kissing my neck.

My whole body started to shake.

“I love what my touch does to you, Ellie.”

Oh god, me, too.

“Lie down, Ellie.”

I crawled onto the bed and turned over to lay my back. Gunner slowly placed gentle kisses starting on my feet and then moved his lips up my legs, to my stomach to, my chest… oh my god.

By the time his sweet, soft lips landed on my mine, I was about ready to beg him to be inside me. He slowly eased himself into me, and with each kiss, he went just a little farther.

After he was all the way inside me, he slowly started to move while he continued to kiss me all over my face, neck, and chest.

“Oh god, Gunner.”

“I know, baby. You feel so good.”

Before I knew it, I was having one of the most intense orgasms of my life. I swore that it was never going to end. I didn’t even remember moving, but the next thing I knew, I was on top. I smiled down at the love on my life as he gave me that crooked smile of his.

I loved him so much that it almost hurt.

As I started to move slowly his hands were on my waist, gripping me harder, while he was trying his best to hold off.

“Ellie, you’re so beautiful, sweetheart.”

“I love you, Drew, so much.”

Leaning up, he put his head on my chest as he wrapped his arms around me. I’d never felt so secure in my life.

I knew the moment I let go, he was going to come with me. This was one of our most amazing moments together. It was then that I knew this man would always make me feel so loved and wanted.

I collapsed on top of him and tried my best to catch my breath.

Gunner let out a laugh and pulled my body closer to him.

“Sweetheart, you need to start running with me.”

Sitting up, I laughed and hit him on the chest. Bastard! I made a mental note to myself that when Gunner went out for the morning feedings, I would start running. Maybe I could see if Ari wanted to start hiking around the ranch more often. I knew she missed the gym, and now, with her being pregnant, she’d have to make sure she was getting exercise to stay healthy.

I wondered if Gunner and I just made a baby. I stopped taking my pills the moment he asked me to. Could it happen that fast? It did for Ari, so why couldn’t it for us?

I rolled over, lying next to Gunner, and I put my hands on my stomach. Rolling over onto his side to face me, he placed his hand on mine and smiled at me.

“It’ll happen sweetheart, when it’s meant to happen. Don’t stress about it, okay?”

I tried to smile at him, but I had the strangest feeling come over me. Why do I think this is not going to be as easy as we both thought it would be?

“I love you, Drew. I love you so much.”

Gunner leaned down and gently kissed me on the nose and then on my lips.

“I love you too Baby, more than you’ll ever know.”

I didn’t think it was possible so soon, but before I knew it, he moved on top of me, and I was lost again in his sweet love making.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

JEFF

Josh had insisted on coming out with me to make the food rounds this morning. I knew it was only because he didn’t want to be at the house with Ari and Heather. I tried to get him to talk, but I ended up just letting him sulk for about thirty minutes.

A new stud horse, Romeo, had arrived yesterday. I was mucking out his stale, when I saw Josh walking into the barn. He looked like hell.

“What the fuck, Josh? What happened yesterday when you went to talk to Heather?”

“Fuck if I know. I asked her if she still wanted to talk. At first, I thought she was going to, then Lynda called around the corner, asking if we were still on for heading into town for lunch. I’m not even sure where the hell that came from since I didn’t even ask Lynda to lunch. I simply told Lynda that I would talk to her in a minute, and when I turned around, I swear Heather had steam coming from her ears. Then, she accused me of moving on fast. Moving on from what? She was the one who said there was no future for us and that we were just friends. I’m so fucking confused right now. I don’t know which way is up and which way is down for Christ’s sake.”

I shook my head and closed Romeo’s stall, while he was trying to push his damn way out. Shit, this horse is a feisty bastard. Ari had begged me to let her ride him last night. There was no way in hell I was letting her get on this horse.

“Josh, listen to me, dude. Women are…fuck, I don’t really know how women are. I just know that at least more than half the time, when they say something, they really mean the opposite. I don’t why. God made ‘em that way, and I ain’t about to question God on it. I really think you need to talk to her and get it out there before Gunner’s cousin moves in and tries to eat you alive.”

Josh started laughing. “Yeah, Lynda is something else. I like her. I mean, if Heather wasn’t in the picture, I could probably see myself dating Lynda. She just moved to Austin to finish school at UT. I don’t know. Maybe I just need to just move on since Heather only wants to be friends.”

“If you think that’s what she really wants, then maybe you should,” I said, raising my eye-brows at him.

“Well, that’s what she keeps repeating to me so, I guess that means I need to move on.”

***

By the time we made it back to the house, Josh was in an even worse mood. I was guessing that the idea of walking away from any kind of relationship with Heather just pissed him off. It was either that or it was because Romeo nipped at his hand.

I walked into the kitchen to see Heather and Ari sitting at the kitchen island. Ari looked up at me and gave me that smile that I swore could bring me to my knees every damn time. I smiled back at her and looked down to see she was drinking orange juice and not coffee. That was two days in a row now.

“What’s wrong with the coffee?” I asked as I walked over to pour myself a cup.

Josh followed and poured some into his mug.

I leaned down to give Ari a kiss. She let out a small moan, and I just about grabbed her and hauled her ass into our bedroom. Fuck. She smelled so damn good. I nipped at her bottom lip, and then I pulled away, so I could sit down next to her.

Josh leaned up against the kitchen counter and looked everywhere but at Heather.

Ari just busted out with, “So, what the hell is going on with you two anyway?”

Heather choked on her coffee, and Josh looked like he was about to kill Ari. It took everything out of me not to laugh. Ari never was one to beat around the bush. That was one of the things I loved about her. She was a no-bullshit kind of girl.

“Ari! I can’t believe you,” Heather said giving Ari a go-to-hell look.

Josh seemed to compose himself, but then I saw a look in his eyes. It was that same look he used to get when he was putting on his game face.